[Maine-birds] Question to viewers: Molt Migration in Canada Geese in Maine

Hello everyone,

My name is Cole Tiemann, and I am an undergraduate student studying waterfowl.  Currently, I am doing some research to see if resident Canada geese (geese born in Maine) are traveling north for a molt migration, and I was hoping that some of you have ever seen this phenomena in Maine.

Molt migration is documented in many populations of Canada geese.  During the late spring/early summer, geese that are too young to successfully breed (often 1 or 2 year olds) and failed nesters (destroyed or otherwise failed nests with no renesting occurring) migrate north to complete their molt.  Waterfowl undergo a complete molt, and are flightless for a period of a few weeks.  Some geese go north as much as 500-1,000 km from their typical breeding grounds to complete their molt.  Their migratory flights would occur around the first week of June, low in the sky but in a visible migratory formation.  I was wondering if any birder in Maine has observed these flight patterns during this time of year.  I am in the process of looking and goose band reports to see where the geese are being recovered up north, but this would be valuable information to me.

Thank you.

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