Autumn Geese

A juvenile White Fronted Goose at Tomakomai last weekend.

After the pelagic trip we visited Utonai Ko, a large shallow lake near Chitose airport. It is famous as a resting place for geese in autumn on their way south. There were 2 species: White Fronted and Bean Goose.

99.9% of them were in the middle of the lake.

They feed in the rice stubble in the local padi fields I guess. We see both species near Hakodate but never in great numbers........................

We've been visiting the lake for over 6 years and there is one resident Bean Goose, presumably crippled. It is tame and spends its days with a group of similarly injured Whooper Swans.

Sadly it would call to the birds in the middle of the lake but they ignored it................

In the same area were 2 tame White Fronted Goose, as far as I know these are wild (I've never seen them before so close).....................perhaps they were just mega bold ones?

There was also a small tame flock of Pintail in various stages of moult.

Not much else around. A big flock of swans were on the other side of the lake, there was a lone Great Egret, a few Wigeon, some Little Grebe and Tomakomai's famous Magpies nearby.....................

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