So I’m sitting in the stands looking out at the football field. Someone is shouting: “He’s at the 30”, “He’s at the 35”, “The 40”, “The 45”, “Across Mid-field”!!!!

No, I didn’t give up birding for a day to go to a High School Football Game . . . I was watching a super rare Barnacle Goose weaving through the opposition (i.e. Canada Geese) on Wasgett Field, the gridiron home of the Oceanside High School Mariners.

The Barnacle Goose breeds each summer on the east coast of Greenland before migrating to the United Kingdom for the winter. Obviously this particular bird’s GPS wasn’t working and he landed on a mid-coast Maine football field.

A Barnacle Goose is about half the size of a Canada Goose. But Barney (I named him) was pretty aggressive toward his bigger cousin and gave chase several times when one got too close.

Maine Big Year Bird # 317 . . . which ties the State Record!!!!