Ross's or Snow Goose? S. WI

[Kittipaws]

S.WI today. Ross's or Snow? Either way it's a lifer for me 😊. Thank you!

[Snake Fingers]

Hmmm. I have no idea how to distinguish them in flight.

[Avery]

I believe Snow would appear much closer in size, my vote is for Ross’s

[Snake Fingers]

Just now, Avery said:

I believe Snow would appear much closer in size, my vote is for Ross’s

Fair point.

[Birds are cool]

I agree on Ross's based on size.

[Kittipaws]

Thanks so much. I'll still see if I can crop and possibly bring some detail out in the goose.

[MWM]

With the wide range of size of Canada Geese, (25" to 45" per Sibley's) I don't think you can tell if this is a Ross's or Snow Goose by comparison. If it was in a flock of Snow Geese, it would obviously be a Ross's. A closer look at the bill might help.

[Snake Fingers]

2 hours ago, MWM said:

With the wide range of size of Canada Geese, (25" to 45" per Sibley's) I don't think you can tell if this is a Ross's or Snow Goose by comparison. If it was in a flock of Snow Geese, it would obviously be a Ross's. A closer look at the bill might help.

Fair point also. I already tried the bill but it seems too blurry.

[Quiscalus quiscula]

It's giving me Ross's vibes, and head profile reminds me of one, although it's hard to tell from this photo.

[Charlie Spencer]

3 hours ago, MWM said:

With the wide range of size of Canada Geese, (25" to 45" per Sibley's) I don't think you can tell if this is a Ross's or Snow Goose by comparison. If it was in a flock of Snow Geese, it would obviously be a Ross's. A closer look at the bill might help.

I also question using size for the birds in this photograph.  We can't accurately tell if the bird is closer or farther from the camera than the Canadas are.  It may look smaller than them because it's farther away (which might also explain the blurry bill).

[von Humboldt]

Charlie, when you look at both of those pictures together, you can tell those geese are flying in perfect V formation. 
So, I don't think the large size difference is an illusion. I don't think the photo shows the goose well enough to rely on anything other than size. Even the snow goose is going to look small flying with Canadas, but that goose looks really small. I surely wouldn't say conclusively it is a Ross's but with the size difference so great, I would give it a strong probability.

[Snake Fingers]

7 minutes ago, von Humboldt said:

Charlie, when you look at both of those pictures together, you can tell those geese are flying in perfect V formation. 
So, I don't think the large size difference is an illusion. I don't think the photo shows the goose well enough to rely on anything other than size. Even the snow goose is going to look small flying with Canadas, but that goose looks really small. I surely wouldn't say conclusively it is a Ross's but with the size difference so great, I would give it a strong probability.

What about the first photo? In the first photo the V formation looks too be 3D if that make sense. Which would indicate different positions from the camera right?

Edited March 4 by Snake Fingers

[von Humboldt]

 

The second picture – a classic view of geese flying directly away from you. Since there is no depth perception you don't know if those six geese are flying in a line or in the V. But there most definitely in formation. Notice how every goose's wings are in the same position i.e. essentially horizontal to the ground and they are equidistant apart. They probably only moved about 100 yards since the first picture and is highly improbable they would have changed positions and be back in line in that short of distance.  So the white goose has one Canada about 3 yards ahead of him to the left and one Canada about 3 yards behind him and to the right in each picture

first picture – there is what is obviously the lead goose, the two uppermost geese form the "left" side of the V looking from the rear as in the second photograph. The white goose is the first goose on the right side followed by two Canadas (third from the right just like in the second photograph). When you look at the picture looking at each "line" including the lead goose, you see the left line is straight and right line is fairly straight but a little off because the white goose is not creating the same wind current. So in this picture the lead goose will be slightly closer to the camera than the white goose and the two Canadas in the lower right of the photograph will be slightly further away.

Edit: the first picture looks weird because the white goose is so small. Take him out and you can see the V. But he must be in formation based on the second picture.

 

Edited March 4 by von Humboldt