Goose-a-palooza 2016 Summary

Snow Goose (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Snow Goose (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

We had a beautiful day for the first inaugural Delaware Goose-a-palooza this past Saturday the 27th. Thanks to the 30-40 birders who thoroughly inspected over 32,000 geese across the state, we all collectively turned up some impressive birds. Mixed among the expected Canada and Snow Geese were 14 CACKLING GEESE and 5 ROSS’S GEESE. The Snow Goose flocks in Kent County also produced multiple Snow X Ross’s Goose hybrids. Kent County also led the way for Tundra Swans with 586, compared to just a handful in New Castle and Sussex.

The excellent coverage turned up many other interesting bird species, with the highlights being multiple EURASIAN WIGEON in Kent County and a group of 6 SANDHILL CRANES near Dragon Run marsh in New Castle County.

Totals are broken down by county:
New Castle County:

Canada Goose – 11,884
Snow Goose – 5,266
Cackling Goose – 11
Tundra Swan – 4

Kent County:

Canada Goose – 3,277
Snow Goose – 6,530
Cackling Goose – 1
Ross’s Goose – 3
Snow x Ross’s Goose – 5
Tundra Swan – 586

Sussex County:

Canada Goose – 978
Snow Goose – 3,671
Cackling Goose – 2
Ross’s Goose – 2
Tundra Swan – 1