The ABCs of Birding-G-

[Aafke]

G is for Greylag Goose

During the winter, The Netherlands is a real Geese country, you can find big groups of them almost everywhere. Even in the city I can hear them when they fly above me in a large V.
The Greylag Goose also broods in The Netherlands.

From Wikipedia: The Greylag Goose is the largest and bulkiest of the grey Anser geese. It has a rotund, bulky body, a thick and long neck, and a large head and bill. It has pink legs and feet, and an orange or pink bill

At the second picture you can see a gosling on the back of the adult goose.
greetings Aafke

[Dumpsterkitty]

G is for Gyrfalcon



From Cornell All About Birds:

"The largest falcon in the world, the Gyrfalcon breeds in arctic and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. It preys mostly on large birds, pursuing them in breathtakingly fast and powerful flight. "

And remember this article about the 2500 year old gyrfalcon nest in Greenland?

"A 2,500-year-old bird's nest has been discovered on a cliff in Greenland.

The nesting site is still continually used by gyrfalcons, the world's largest species of falcon, and is the oldest raptor nest ever recorded.

Three other nests, each over 1,000 years old, have also been found, one of which contains feathers from a bird that lived more than 600 years ago. "

[dale]

the Western Gull is an opportunistic feeder, capturing its own live prey, scavenging refuse, or stealing food from seals and other gulls. It is known to steal milk from lactating female seals while they lie on their backs sleeping on the beach.

yes, Western sounds right!!  Thank you, Ei.

But I have to say that the Fs and Gs have been rough on my mental hygiene - disturbing images of critters stealing other critters' food abound:  

- Frigatebirds making other birds sell their lunch;

- (I posted about 2 "F" Nightjars) -- Nightjars and nighthawks are also called Goatsuckers:
"from the mistaken (and somewhat bizarre) belief that they suck milk from goats (the Latin for goatsucker is Caprimulgus)."  (wikipedia)

- and now this. Gulls milking seals.

I have to go make sure my stash of vinegar and salt potato chips is inviolate.

[Patti from Kentucky]

G is for Galapagos Hawk -- we took this photo, obviously, in the Galapagos, of one of the few non-introduced predators on the islands.

Our guide said this one was hanging out on the ground hunting for baby iguanas (at least he doesn't eat vinegar & salt potato chips).

[Patti from Kentucky]

And another bird from the Galapagos...the Galapagos Dove.  Many birds in the Galapagos live nowhere else; and many live only on one of the islands.  The islands are isolated enough from the mainland, and from each other, that the wildlife species that colonized them adapted to the unique conditions of each island and developed into unique species.  This dove is spectacularly beautiful, even if my photo doesn't do it justice.

[Dumpsterkitty]

Goshawk(Northern)

From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

A powerful raptor of northern forests, the Northern Goshawk is the largest North American accipiter. It maneuvers through dense woods, taking prey as small as squirrels and as large as grouse, crows, and snowshoe hare.

Attila the Hun wore an image of a Northern Goshawk on his helmet.

{Wishing the Yahoo group posts could automatically echo over here}

Hey, that's a cousin of my Teenage Mutant Ninja Junco!

There's a gray morph northern Goshawk who migrates through my
neighborhood every spring and fall. He spends a few days harvesting
crows, and then moves on again.

I called him the TMNJ because the only other birds I've ever seen with
that soft gray color and white chest are the juncos that snarf up the
spilled seed under my bird feeders. I posted a picture of him here the
first time he showed up (nailed a crow just a few feet in front of me on
my morning walk!) and several kfalconcammers identified him as a gray
morph northern goshawk. He came back, right on schedule, at the end of
September this year.

Pretty bird!
K@
Kat in Rochester

[Donna]

Great Sapphirewing Hummingbird

At 6 inches long (or more than seven if you include its bill), the Great Sapphirewing (Pterophanes cyanopterus) is one of the largest hummingbirds in the world. It is larger than all of the other hummingbirds in its habitat and many other species as well, including flowerpiercers, conebills, and chat-tyrants.

by Search and Serendipity

[dale]

G is for Galapagos Hawk -- ... this one was hanging out on the ground hunting for baby iguanas (at least he doesn't eat vinegar & salt potato chips).

well, good. let's keep it like that. And I'll abstain from baby iguanas.

This is great - LOOK at all these birds!!!

[Dumpsterkitty]

This is great - LOOK at all these birds!!!

I am so enjoying this!  So many birds I'd never seen before! And we're only at G!      

[dale]

This is great - LOOK at all these birds!!!

I am so enjoying this!  So many birds I'd never seen before! And we're only at G!      

huge thanks to aafke for the terrific idea!

[Patti from Kentucky]

This is great - LOOK at all these birds!!!

I am so enjoying this!  So many birds I'd never seen before! And we're only at G!      

We are only at G, but I'm finding, as I dig through my bird photos, that 65% of my photos were of birds that start with B, and 35% with G...so my volume ought to slow down pretty significantly!  OK...that's a slight exaggeration, and I'm sure there will be a few more "big" letters, but I really have gone through a large percentage of my photos already.

[dale]

Egyptian GOOSE

I think

Took these at the Berlin Zoo

dale

[Donna]

Egyptian GOOSE

I think

Took these at the Berlin Zoo

dale

I think the E goose are so cool looking. 

[Aafke]

Egyptian GOOSE

I think

Took these at the Berlin Zoo

dale

Yes an Egyptian Goose and a Ruddy Shelduck, o I can send the last for the S!!!!!
greetings Aafke

[anneintoronto]

Egyptian GOOSE

I think

Took these at the Berlin Zoo

dale

Yes an Egyptian Goose and a Ruddy Shelduck, o I can send the last for the S!!!!!
greetings Aafke

I've admired your Egyptian Geese, Aafke, ever since your first jigsaw puzzle featuring them!  Of course, it's a lot safer from the other side of the photo, if these geese are like any other ones!! 

Anne in Toronto