Bird of the Week – Emperor Goose

We’ll celebrate the holidays with a Christmas Goose, specifically Emperor Geese.

Emperor Geese, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge

The handsome Emperor Goose nests in the coastal salt marsh habitats of arctic and sub-arctic Alaska and Russia and winters primarily on coastal beaches along ice-free areas of the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island. Locally known as the “Beach Goose” from its winter habit of roosting and feeding near the water’s edge, the diet of this species consists largely of clams, mussels, and algae when wintering and staging in marine and estuarine habitats.

Emperor Goose in Flight, Yukon Delta NWR

When WC was in the Yukon Delta NWR photographing birds, the spring subsistence hunt had just concluded and the bigger waterfowl were incredibly skittish. The ones that hadn’t been skittish were dead. Even a long, slow, belly crawl stalk would put the birds up. To avoid disturbing nesting birds, WC made do with these longer distance shots.

Camera geek stuff: f7.1, 1/400, ISO400.

For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.

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