MA - four Cacklers arrive

Cackling Geese - four together in late afternoon light, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 4th, 2015. 
Apparent family group constantly moving around together among 600 or so Canada Geese. 

The largest bird in the group (second from left) was probably a male and constantly on sentinel duty throughout the observation. 

Barton Cove was so quiet this morning that I decided to keep my visit short and go home to deal with trip preparations for a forthcoming tour. In the afternoon, I again tried Turner's Falls power canal finding all three scaup (2 Greater, 1 Lesser) continuing along with a drake Common Goldeneye. Scanning through the geese offered little reward in the beginning but a white-cheeked goose with a Cackling 'feel' caught my eye. Since it was surrounded by two or three others, I initially dismissed it but kept coming back to it and the other geese with it. Even at distance, I started to entertain the idea that I was looking at a family group of Cackling Geese and driving up closer to the birds proved it to be the case!

Lesser Scaup - probably first-winter male, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 4th, 2015. 

Present daily since October 26th. 

Cackling Geese - four together Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 4th, 2015. 

All four birds appear in both shots. 

The birds remained within the middle of a fairly large flock of Canada Geese and looked shy and wary. One bird in the group was larger and seemed to be on sentinel duty throughout with neck extended, seemingly constantly alert. At a guess, I'd say this was the male of the group. The other three were clearly smaller and spent most of the time in relaxed mode.

This was easily the largest group of Cackling Geese that I've recorded at the power canal, recalling a flock of six found a few years ago by Hector Galbraith at the same location, a flock that I happened to miss because I was out of state.