Even with the bad sun angle, once I got the binoculars on them I knew that they were Brant (Branta bernicla). I immediately took a couple of pictures from where I was and since I didn’t have cell phone coverage at that point, I slowly backed out of the complex and drove north to a spot from which I could make calls to alert others that were already on the coast as well as those that would want to come down as soon as possible. The only other sighting of Brant that I am aware of in recent years was one in November 2000 seen and photographed by Rusty Trump and Bill Elrick. I knew others would be especially interested in this sighting, since that bird was only seen for a few minutes and was never relocated. An account of that sighting can also be found on the GOS web site at http://www.gos.org/sightings/bran.html.

One of the calls I made was to Sterling Blanchard who has been vacationing on Jekyll Is. for the month. He said that he had been on the south beach a little earlier and had seen the two Brant in the water and as he watched, they came onto the beach and then flew north up the beach out of sight. Even though he didn’t know where the Brant went, he knew others should know of their presence and also made several calls.

After making the calls, I went back to try for better pictures and to document the field marks. I pulled into the soccer complex and immediately saw the Brant and Snow Goose resting back in the original spot. As I was trying to figure out how to get on the other side of the birds so I could put the sun at my back, a beachgoer unconcerned about the birds drove right by and though the birds were wary, they only got up and moved a little further from the road. I then also drove past them and was able to get to the other side to observe and take pictures.

Description:

Both birds appeared identical with the exception of one being a little darker in overall coloration than the other. It was much smaller than the adult Snow Goose, about the size of a large duck with a small head, short all black bill, and short neck. The eyes were brown. The head, neck, mantle and upper breast appeared to me to be a very dark chocolate brown that ended in a complete, very defined line. Others observing the birds described the coloration of the head, neck, and mantle as more blackish than very dark brown. There were some faint light feathers beginning to show on the side of the neck, however these were only visible at certain angles. The lower breast, flanks and belly down to the legs were mottled dark cream and light brown. The legs and feet were black with some light feathering down the legs ending just above the joint. The belly behind the legs was white and the undertail coverts were bright white ending in a “V” close to the end of the brown, rounded short tail. The back and scapulars were a lighter brown than the head and neck and had very light thin edges at the end of the feathers. The rump was lighter brown than the head and neck, but darker than the back and scapulars. The upper-tail coverts were the same bright white as the under-tail coverts and also ended in a “V” near the end of the tail. The upper wing coverts were dark brown with light edges forming obvious wing bars. The secondaries and tertials were also dark brown with light edges forming a white trailing edge on the extended wing; and the primaries were dark brown and on the folded wing, extended just to the tip of the tail. I did not see the underside of the wings.

Based on the overall dark brown or blackish, rather than pure black of the head, neck, and mantle, lack of white feathering on the sides of the neck, dark cream/light brown mottling on the flanks, and light edges to upper wing coverts, secondaries and tertials indicate that these are both juveniles and the pale belly is indicative of the eastern pale-bellied population.

According to the Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds, “Brant is accidental in winter primarily along the Coast:” with only nine accepted records in Georgia. One inland report in the mountains near Blairsville was not accepted because of questions of its origin.

References:

Beaton, Giff; Sykes, Paul W. Jr.; Parrish, John W. Jr., 2003, Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds, Fifth Edition.

Sibley, David A., 2000, National Audubon Society, The Sibley Guide to Birds.

Madge, Steve; Burn, Hilary, 1988, Waterfowl, An identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the world.

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