12.2.24 Sherman Park, Chicago, IL

 


A Ross's Goose yawning in a pond. The Ross's looks like it's a young goose molting out of it's juvenal plumage, because it has some gray feathers on it's head and a very small black grin patch. You can see parts of Canada Geese, though the Canada's are mostly cropped out.

The Ross's Goose swimming in front of some Canada Geese. The Ross's looks sleepy, and one of the Canada's in the background is preening it's back.

The Ross's Goose swimming in front of a Canada Goose. Both geese have their heads cocked, in what looks a bit like interest.


Ross's Goose and Canada Geese

The Ross's Goose drinking some water. It's spilling some.

A Canada Goose that just fell through the ice covering part of the pond. The Ross's Goose is swimming in the background. Maybe no one saw the Canada's embarrassing return to the water?

The Ross's Goose in a sea of Canada Geese.

The Ross's Goose with three Canada Geese. One of the Canada's is swimming away, giving anyone who might have glanced that way a wonderful view of it's...ahem...fluffy butt feathers.

The Ross's Goose is swimming through the water, leaving ripples as it goes. Canada Geese spread out behind it, some of them on the icy part of the pond.

A close-up of just the Ross's Goose. The water is calm enough to see it's reflection, but the reflection is distorted! The reflection's head appears to be twice the normal height, and to have two eyes on one side of the head.

A view of the Ross's Goose flying up from the water and onto the ice. Canada Geese swim around it, and one of them has it's neck arched at the Ross's Goose. The branches of a bush are latticed across the photo, partially obscuring the geese.

The Ross's Goose standing on the ice, head stretched back between it's wings to preen its tail feathers. You can tell that other geese have been on this ice from a few goose poops.

The Ross's Goose standing on the ice, back facing you. It's head is curled around to make a sort of backwards question-mark shape. It's face looks almost attentive,  as if it were listening to an exciting story.

The Ross's Goose still standing on the ice on the left side of the photo, while Canada Geese dominate the right side. The Ross's back is towards you, while it's head is turned towards the Canada Geese. None of the Canada's are looking towards it.

The Ross's Goose preening, caught in an odd posture. It's neck is bent backwards, and it's head is on it's back. It's beak is facing nearly right at you, so it looks almost flat.

The Ross's Goose standing on the ice, facing away. It's shaking out it's feathers, so it's body is all puffed up and it's wings are out.

The Ross's Goose swimming away. It's head is turned to the side, it's reflection is visible and distorted (again). It's reflection's head has a very thin bill and it has two eyes on the side of the head (again).

The Ross's Goose swimming closer, looking at you.

The Ross's Goose swimming. It looks a bit like it's pondering the meaning of life, or possibly looking at the water for anything to eat.

The Ross's Goose swimming between two Canada Geese.

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker clinging to the side of a tree. There is a branch at the bottom of the frame and more trees in the background with some sparse brown leaves on them. 

The same Yellow-bellied Sapsucker taking off from the tree. You view it from it's back, and it's wings are spread out in front of it. The striking black, cream, and golden-yellow of it's feathers are visible, as well as it's red cap.

The first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is flying right at you! It's in the foreground, while a second one in the background is where the first was before.

A Canada Goose has just made it onto the ice! Another watches you judgmentally from the sidelines.

A Canada Goose climbs onto the ice of the pond, while another watches on, waiting it's turn.

Two Canada Geese on a thicker part of the ice. The left one tries to drink a bit of water on the ice, while the right one glances away, possibly scouting out somewhere to swim.

Many Canada Geese, some swimming in the melted waters of the foreground, and others preen on the ice in the background. One out-of-place Goose preens in the water.


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