Always Rare in Santa Fe County, NM Ross's Goose Plus a Leucistic Raven! - 2/23/15

I cruised down to southern Santa Fe County a couple days ago to check and see if anything was shaking free after a break following a couple winter storm systems.

There wasn't much around and I was beginning to think I should have headed back over to a local golf course where I head picked up some solid year bird ducks the day before.

Then, as I was rolling past a vast farm field I spotted a white object. At first I ignored it because I had stopped countless times to scope a white bird only to have it turn out to be a plastic jug or trash of some sort or other. I scolded myself not to be lazy so stopped to take a quick look. I was shocked to see a goose! A Ross's Goose!

I whipped the camera out to get plenty of pics so people would believe me, well at least 100%.

Ross's showing short neck, tiny bill, and narrow wings

Good view of very rounded head and vertical border at base of tiny bill with no grin patch

Good comparison with common raven showing its small size!

A little further down the road I noticed a light colored bird standing out in a corn stubble field surrounded by common ravens. I was stumped as it was really light colored but about the same size as the ravens.

When I got close it took off and the ravens all got after it. They dive-bombed it and literally attacked it. The bizarre bird flew over to a nearby group of trees and landed. The ravens, with me approaching decided to hang out several hundred yards away, but kept a close eye on "us." I got quite close and was stunned to see this unfortunate creature was a leucistic Chihuahuan raven! The common ravens apparently couldn't cope with the light color and became raven bullies! Bizarre!

Leucistic Chihuahuan raven just after being attacked by his raven cousins!