Day 20 of 2016: Let it SNOW GEESE!

Over the weekend, a pair of Snow Geese were reported on the Reservoir. Flocks of these birds are seen annually passing over Manhattan by a few lucky observers, but sightings of birds on land or water bodies here are almost unheard of. Unfourtunately, I was on a trip upstate, so I couldn't see them. I searched the whole Reservoir on Tuesday with no luck. Today, hopefully it would be different. I made my way towards the north pumphouse of the Reservoir where they frequently hang out. Along the way there, I ran into another birder who pointed out the geese from a distance. They looked like white blobs, but they were definitely the SNOW GEESE (Year Bird #44). I made my way towards the pumphouse, spotting a few Pied-Billed Grebes and Gadwalls along the way. When I got there, there were a few other birders looking at the pair of geese. I was able to see the distinctive pink bill that distingiuishes it from Ross's Goose (Now THAT would be crazy), as well as its pink feet. After that, I went to the MET to see the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, which showed well. Then, I went to the feeders, when a raptor burst out of nowhere. An American Kestrel (#45)! After checking out the feeder birds, I went to Laupot Bridge. Just before I got there, a birder told me there was a cowbird there with the usual birds. There it was when I arrived, a male Brown-Headed Cowbird (#46). I also heard for some time before today that there was one young Blue Jay that would take food from your hand that hangs out around there. So I prepared and waited. Suddenly, I heard a jay screaming, and the bird came up from behind me and perched on my arm. It then ate a peanut from my hand and flew off. So I added 3 birds to the year list, including the Snow Geese, and hand-fed my first Blue Jay today. Not a bad day, especially now that I have already seen the same amount of bird species as in all of last January.