❄️ It has been an incredible winter for birding so far.
Here in Blair County—tucked into the ancient Allegheny Mountains, among the oldest mountain ranges on Earth—Snow Geese of any variety are a rare treat. Sure, a stray bird or small flock might show up now and then, but this winter has been different.
I was finally able to cross Snow Goose off my life list—in my home county, no less. But it goes deeper than that…
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| Preening (blue) Snow Geese. Blair County, PA |
Only a small percentage of the Snow Goose population carries the genetics for the striking blue morph coloration. That rarity alone makes them special—but somehow, we have SEVEN Blue Snow Geese sharing the same pond right here in Blair County. I’m especially grateful for my camera, Cynthie, which helped me gather plenty of reference photos for future paintings.
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| Ross’s Goose appearing with (blue) Snow Geese and Canada Geese. Blair County, PA. |
As if that weren’t enough, an even rarer visitor appeared earlier this week: a Ross’s Goose. After my friend Jane sent me photos, I made it my mission to document all of these birds—and I’m happy to say I succeeded.
The Ross’s Goose is a smaller, daintier cousin of the Snow Goose, with a compact bill that fades from bluish near the face to pink toward the tip. As they mature, some develop small knobby growths at the base of the bill called caruncles—thought to be visual signals of age, experience, and survival.
Another oddball was an immature “blue” Snow Goose who was quite dark, and was almost overlooked completely! I’m sure this beautiful bird will become even more beautiful in the coming months if it can withstand the pressures of winter survival. And who better to survive winter than a Snow Goose?
To start off 2026 like this? It feels a little unreal. Wild, in the very best way. And I’m deeply grateful for the rare and wonderful birds that keep showing up right here in Blair County. 🪶✨
#birding #snowgoose #waterfowl #photography #outdoors #Pennsylvania #beautiful