My kingdom for a cackling goose

Our wild goose chase finally came to an end today. My friend Laura and I have been obsessed with finding a cackling goose to add to our life lists. We’ve been scanning huge flocks of Canada geese to find a ride-along cackling goose, with its smaller body, stubby beak, shorter neck and lighter back.

Everywhere we’ve looked — including craning our necks above us as flocks of Canadas wedge their way overhead — we’ve whiffed on spotting a cackling goose. Veterans Park in Hamilton and Mercer Corporate Park in Robbinsville were our two most likely places to find them, but we’d struck out repeatedly.

Recent reports from the corporate park were promising, and Laura suggested that we cut out of work a bit early this afternoon to go chasing. We got to the corporate park about 3:30 p.m., initially deflated not to see any geese on the roadside lake as we approached the entrance. But as we turned in to the entrance, our hearts rose as we saw several birders, some with scopes, standing on the shore.

Within a few seconds, we saw that hundreds of birds were lining the shore. Maybe, possibly, we’d spot our first cackler!

We parked at the front of a line of cars and encountered several 20-something New Yorkers clustered around a scope. Not waiting on formalities, Laura announced that we were hoping to spot a cackling goose.

There’s one out there, the young men said, and you’re in luck: there’s a greater white-fronted goose as well!

One of the men invited us to peer into his scope, which he had trained on the cackling goose, feeding next to a couple of Canada geese. Mission accomplished!

Then we were pointed to a snow goose nestled into the grass, and to its right the greater white-fronted goose. At first, it had its beak tucked in, but soon we were able to see its white face and orange beak through the scope and with our binoculars.

I took several photos, hoping that one might do justice to these tough-to-spot birds. The distance proved too much for good images, but the sighting was what was important.

We made a quick stop nearby at Indian Lake, spotting a belted kingfisher and five female hooded mergansers along with some mallards.

After that, we had ample time to head to the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm near our homes, arriving just ahead of sunset — prime short-eared owl time. We were in for another treat.

We caught up with several other birders on the central trail, including the Pole Farm’s all-time leader, Jim Parris. Northern harriers, including the male “gray ghost,” were flying vigorously off to the west, in front of the setting sun.

Eventually, the short-eared owls emerged from the shadows. Four of them put on quite a show, wheeling over the fields. A couple of times, the owls flew close enough to us that we could hear them calling. Another first!

The light was fine for observing but poor for photos. The best shot I could get, and I use that adjective laughingly, tops this post. No matter. We saw some aerial ballet from the owls and enjoyed the spectacle with several other birders.

What a great day it was, a fine reminder of how privileged we are to have nearby windows into so many of nature’s wondrous creatures.