To follow up on Sandra’s postings, I was able to see the Brant this morning, but only briefly. I went to ITD to look for it, when a large group of C. Geese took off from in front of the main building. I scanned the flock, but no Brant. Then I realized that there were more geese still on the ground, but there was a car slowly driving towards them. That’s when a second, equally noisy flock took off, and the car continued moving toward the remaining birds. It was either a birder trying to get a better look, or a non-birder who wondered what the unusual bird was (or someone totally oblivious).

When the car finally got too close, the last of the birds took to the air. The Brant was clearly visible in the flight, smaller and much darker than the Canadas. It flew off to the southwest, but I scanned every flock along the greenbelt all the way to Plantation Island and never saw it again.

My consolation prize was the Bald Eagle at the back pond at Esther, on the top of a dead tree, its white head and tail gleaming in the sun like a commercial for patriotism. 😉

Tom McCabe, Boise