Help in ID

These are bad photos from a long way off, but I wanted to get a quick shot before they flew. I think they are white fronted geese. But they are not supposed to be in Ohio.

That's what they are.

here is one cropped in

chubri777 wrote in post #15616890
That's what they are.

Thanks Chuck, I had a friend tell me they were a rare fine. and could be greenland white fronted geese. I couldn't get a good focus hand held before they left with some canadians.

Yep white fronted. We have them pass through CA, too. There's a confused little white fronted here who seems to think he is a Canadian goose because he follows around a Canadian goose but ignores his own kind. It's rather cute lol. I call them the odd couple.

Greater White-fronted Geese or speckle bellies (what hunters call them) have a very large migratory route through the central U.S. It is actually quite common for them to migrate several states out of that range if the high altitude, high winds that they ride push them off course.

Smaller groups of GWFG that don't have a large flock will also join Canada geese because it saves them a ton of energy migrating in a large flock. And since Canada Geese inhabit the entire U.S., it is inevitable that some GWFG get pushed (or lead) off course from their standard migration routes.

BirdBoy wrote in post #15617161
Greater White-fronted Geese or speckle bellies (what hunters call them) have a very large migratory band through central U.S. It is actually quite common for them to migrate several states out of that range if the high altitude, high winds that they ride push them off course.

Smaller groups of GWFG that don't have a large flock will also join Canada geese because it saves them a ton of energy migrating in a large flock. And since Canada Geese inhabit the entire U.S., it is inevitable that some GWFG get pushed (or lead) off course from their standard migration routes.

Thanks for the info, we have been getting some birds that aren't common to the area. last year we had a couple juvenile little blues.

Ron

You can see one of the flavirostris subspecies on your last photo (orange bill and heavier black bars on belly), otherwise the rest are the elgasi subspecies. Not too rare, as they are usually found in northeast and midwest every winter, but cool comparison photo nonetheless. I love subspecies stuff.