Emperor geese
Images copyright by Mark A. Chappell
Emperor geese are small, neat, high-Arctic species that breed in Alaska and tend to remain there even in winter. A few make it farther south, occasionally reaching California. They're generally a good find for Lower-48 birders so I was very pleased to discover a confiding pair of them living at the end of Homer Spit in southern Alaska. Most of these photos were taken on overcast days with fill-in light from electronic flash; the one at lower right was make by lining the bird up with the reflection of a bright sunrise.
