Ottawa- prompted by a call from a friend I hurried to Ottawa today for a possible last view of this long-staying vagrant warbler. With bitter cold this week and a snowstorm tonight its survival is in question. After an hour searching I found it and remained with it for 90 minutes. Most of the time it was feeding beneath trees on ground not covered by snow. Later in the afternoon it was feeding and resting/sleeping beneath a single spruce for 45 minutes. Often I was as close as 7 feet as the bird headed towards me. Too close to shoot. A suet feeder was put up this afternoon. Hopefully it will find it in the morning. Follow the Chickadees.
UPDATE: My friend picked up the bird this afternoon. It was huddled under a spruce, partially covered in snow. It died in his hands shortly after. Nature takes its course but it is still sad. The carcass will be sent to the Royal Ontario Museum to be preserved as a study skin.
Casselman - This is a rare combination - Snow Goose x Canada Goose. Canada x domestic goose is more expected. A goose biologist says he has only seen a few pictures like this.
Ottawa - I returned to try to get better shots of this Western vagrant. Light was good, temperature was pleasant (+4C) and I saw it for longer than a few seconds which was last time. Worth the trip.
Near Casselman - I spotted three neck-banded birds among the 60,000 present today. I always note the band code and send off the information. In the past the birds have usually indicated banding on Bylot Island (north end of Baffin Island) in the Arctic. When I get the result (may be a few weeks) I'll post it.
UPDATE: This female Greater Snow Goose was hatched in 2015 or earlier and was banded near Pond Inlet in Nunavut on Aug. 12, 2016. Pond Inlet is near Bylot Island.