Branta canadensis
December 19, 1992: Niles, Berrien County, MI
(Branta canadensis maxima) Although I’ve seen these geese before, this is my first documented sighting. I’ve actually seen LOTS of them – singly, in pairs, families with juveniles, and in flocks of several hundred – in flight, on the ground, and in the water. Very common. But pretty!
May 8, 1993: South Bend, St. Joseph County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) Seen near the lake at Notre Dame.
May 14, 1994: South Bend, St. Joseph County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) Saw LOTS of these in family groups with adults and juveniles.
July 24, 1994: DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Harrison County, IA
(Branta canadensis maxima)
April 15, 1995: Potato Creek State Park, St. Joseph County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima)
June 29, 1996: St James’s Park, London, England
Yep, these guys are in the UK, too!
June 30, 1996: Hyde Park, London, England
July 14, 1996: St James’s Park, London, England
Apparently an introduced bird which has established breeding (feral) populations.
December 24, 1996: Malibu Creek State Park, Los Angeles, CA
Coming back from this trip we took an inland route and spotted Canada Geese from the 101 Freeway.
July 9, 1997: Potato Creek State Park, St. Joseph County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) Although I didn’t see any other waterfowl (and had hoped to), a large flock of geese was seen and heard on Worster Lake.
July 18, 1997: Pigeon River Feral Wildlife Area, LaGrange County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) Saw a good-sized flock (30) of these large birds in the lake formed above the dam. Actually, I heard them first, as we approached and, sure enough, there they were, out on the water.
August 5, 1997: Indiana Dunes, Porter County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) While hiking the Dunes Ridge Trail, three of these birds made a noisy appearance overhead. I didn’t pay too much notice, as I assumed I’d see others, but these turned out to be my only ones of the day.
August 7, 1997: Wake County, Wake County, NC
(Branta canadensis maxima) Seen during a house hunting trip to Raleigh/Clayton. A decent number of these birds apparently live at Johnston Community College, as well as in many other places around the area.
September 19, 1997: Johnston Community College, Johnston County, NC
(Branta canadensis maxima) This is definitely the school bird, at least as far as numbers are concerned. I guess that most people find them a nuisance, but I enjoying being able to see these huge and pretty birds close up. On occasion, they will even come and eat the bread I throw out for the ducks.
May 9, 1998: William B. Umstead State Park, Wake County, NC, United States
(Branta canadensis maxima)
May 24, 1998: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge-South Pond, Dare County, NC
(Branta canadensis maxima) Several of these birds in the North Pond.
May 8, 2001: Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh, Scotland
These birds were anything but shy – a pair was sitting right along the path and didn’t even flinch when Eclipse and I came near. Eclipse learned to identify this bird today: CanaGoose.
May 12, 2001: Ferry Meadows, Cambridgeshire, England
May 19, 2001: Lee Valley Regional Park, Hertfordshire, England
November 4, 2002: Lake District National Park, Cumbria, England
February 22, 2003: Coyote Hills Regional Park, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
May 11, 2003: Canyon Green, San Ramon, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Have seen these birds flying overhead.
July 5, 2003: Spooner Lake State Park, Douglas County, NV
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
October 2, 2004: Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, Marin County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Saw two smallish flocks flew overhead early in the day.
October 28, 2004: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
December 4, 2004: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) A decent-sized flock of these birds was working the grassy areas and swimming near to shore.
December 6, 2004: Lake Merritt, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) There was a small flock of geese working the lawn between the lake and the street.
December 11, 2004: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
December 20, 2004: Crown Memorial State Beach Crab Cove area, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
December 29, 2004: Elkhorn Slough Reserve, Monterey County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
January 9, 2005: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) These were Eclipse’s favorite birds of the day, because a few of them flew right over his head at close range, honking. He seemed to enjoy that.
January 22, 2005: Rush Creek Open Space Preserve, Marin County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
January 30, 2005: MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline-Arrowhead Marsh, Alameda County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
January 30, 2005: Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, Marin County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
February 2, 2005: Waterbird Regional Preserve/McNabney Marsh, Contra Costa County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
February 2, 2005: Martinez Regional Shoreline Park, Contra Costa County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) I was surprised to see these in a spot where I expected cormorants – out on a sort of pier/breakwater thing in the bay.
May 6, 2007: Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, Davis County, UT
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
May 14, 2007: Whitewater Rafting near Glenwood Springs, Garfield County, CO
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Seen during a white-water rafting trip near Glenwood.
May 26, 2007: Indiana Dunes, Porter County, IN
(Branta canadensis maxima) On the lake behind the hotel.
April 18, 2010: Shollenberger Park, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
April 15, 2011: Safari West, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Approximately 8 birds were foraging on the grass in the hoofstock enclosure near the beginning of the tour. Also seen on the big lake.
August 1, 2011: Shollenberger Park, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
September 23, 2011: Shollenberger Park, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
August 18, 2012: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
(Branta canadensis fulva) An unusual sighting for me . . . actual CANADIAN geese, haha.
April 15, 2019: Ellis Creek, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Field Biology field trip.
May 9, 2019: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Saw a pair of geese with goslings near the campus lakes.
March 11, 2022: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Our first goose of the day was seen on top of the Environmental Technology Center. Later, we saw others near the lakes, including one who appeared to be nesting near the gazebo.
March 4, 2022: Ellis Creek, Petaluma, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Vertebrate Biology field trip.
March 19, 2022: Sonoma State University
(Branta canadensis moffitti) I think this bird may have been nesting across the narrow section of lake next to the Art Building garden.
March 28, 2022: Sears Point Trail, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) A few of these birds were floating on the lake, and a pair flew overhead. There was a single goose near the levee at the far end of the trail who swam near us for a while. Very pretty.
April 15, 2022: Safari West, Sonoma, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti)
April 18, 2022: Laguna de Santa Rosa Headquarters, Sonoma County, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) A few birds flying overhead.
April 25, 2022: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) A few of these birds were foraging near the Commencement Lake (one might have been a Cackling goose) and a few flew overhead while I was walking.
May 6, 2022: Palomarin Field Station, Point Reyes, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Heard a few of these birds calling, but never spotted them.
May 20 2022: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Vertebrate Biology BioBlitz.
February 10, 2023: Sonoma State University
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Seen near the campus lakes during a Vertebrate Biology outing.
February 17, 2023: Ellis Creek, Petaluma, CA
(Branta canadensis moffitti) Vertebrate Biology field trip. Seen early in the day in the western pond, and in abundance throughout the entire site, often vocalizing quite noisily. Later, several of these geese were foraging on the grass, along with a pair of cackling geese.
Let me know what you think!