This morning I finally had time to go and have a look at the Bean Goose found by Tuvia last week at Kfar Baruch reservoir. The bird was very distant - I had good scope views but photography on the deck was useless. For the first time since I quit digiscoping some years ago (Richard - digiscoping sucks, doesn't it?) I felt I could use a good digiscoping kit. Luckily the bird was flushed by a passing eagle and it flew past me slightly closer.
I have very little experience with the Bean Goose complex: 1 (possibly) rossicus at Eilat, several fabalis in Germany, and some middendorffii in Taiwan, But identifying a bird here, out of context, is much more complicated. The chance of getting E Asian birds is also higher here compared to W Europe.
In the field, the bird seemed large, powerful and long-necked. The bill is to me of 'mixed' dimensions. Quite long but deep-based and quite triangular, different to my eyes from a typical fabalis. It has an extensive pinkish area on the bill, extending towards the bill base. Perhaps Mr. Garner has something to say about this goose.


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