Last week I saw a rare bird posting of a Greylag Goose that was seen in Chambly, near Montreal.  It was associating with a group of Canada Geese.   I would have love to go right away but I had just started my midnight shift and just couldn’t get away.

I decided that if the bird was still around I would make a run for it Monday.

I left at 6am when my shift ended and drove to Chambley, and arrived at the area at 9am.  First thing I did was go in search of the Juvenile Great Cormorant near the wharf.  It was right where it had been reported the day before. Good views with the scope but no chance for a photo.

Moving on and not  many geese were on the water.  I drove around familiarizing myself with the area, geese started arriving in numbers.  I found an area that offered the best vantage point and scoped many birds, with no luck.

Birders from all over North America began arriving John Vanderpoel http://www.bigyear2011.com/ and 7 people filed out of a rental, later birders from NE USA plus many locals, arrived.  With that many spotting scopes (20+) pointed at the water.

I met Raymond Belhumeur (he originally found the goose) and his friends from the Montreal area.

I thought it won’t be long now before that Greylag is in the books.

Now remember I had to be back at work for 6pm, so I decided noon would be it.  LOLOLOL  sure I left at 1pm.  The goose never showed.  I got home at 4pm, slept until 5 and here I am at work.   I think my wife Sue is right I am obsessesd…lol.

One of Raymonds friends asked me to post my photo of a Barn Owl…since the Goose was a no show..why not

Un des amis de Raymonds m’a demandé de publier mes photos d’une effraie des clochers, ici il est et plus …

Never did see the Greylag Goose, here’s a photo of one from Europe