[CT Birds] WHite-fronted Geese in Willimantic

[Jo-Anne Roberts]

But DO TAKE an empty gallon jug with you so you can fill up with water from
the spring. It truly is delicious!

There is a narrow road that goes around the pond. Ample parking at the
Spring, on Rt 195 or on Foster Drive which borders the pond.

The area is no different than other parks, in that you should always lock
your car! 

Jo-Anne
Mansfield Center, formerly from Willimantic!


On 3/1/09 1:02 AM, "Mark Szantyr" <birddog55 at charter.net> wrote:

> After reading Chris Elphick's posts about 5!!! Greater White-fronted Geese
> on a small pnd in Willimantic, I took a ride over at about 3:00pm.  This
> pond is very small, smaller than you are even imagining right now.  It is
> located on the Mansfield / Willimantic line, just south of the Eastbrook
> Mall on Route 195.  It is in a small park that is associated with a fresh
> water spring that locals come and collect for drinking.  When I arrived, the
> 5 Greater white-fronted Geese were immediately visible with the Snow Goose
> immature Snow Goose that was also reported.  The group consisted of a full
> adult White-front, a bird with an adult-like pale nail on the bill but
> virtually no underpart barring, and three immature birds, identified by the
> dark nail to the bill and no underpart barring and limited white at the base
> of the bill.  It looked like a family group, with the adult acting as sentry
> while the others grazed on the lawn.  Very often, the adult held grass in
> his bill while on sentry duty.  I took a few photos that are below.
> http://Birddog55.zenfolio.com/p410285431
> 
> I have never seen this many Greater White-fronted Geese together in
> Connecticut and, to my recollection, this might be a record number.
> 
> If you are going, it is probably wise to excercise a bit of caution at this
> park, locking car doors and the like.
> 
> Mark
> Mark S. Szantyr
> 80 Bicknell Road #9
> Ashford, Connecticut 06278
> 860-487-9766
> Birddog55 at charter.net
>> 
> 
> 
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