Mystery Bird: Greylag Goose, Anser anser

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[Mystery bird] Greylag Goose, Anser anser, photographed at an RSPB reserve in Strumpshaw, Norfolk, UK. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]

Image: Brian McFarlane, 2009.

Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.

Here's a bit of a change of pace: The ID of this bird is easy, but can you tell me the proper term for what it is doing and explain why it is doing this?

This bird is whiffling; flipping upside down to dump airspeed so it can land [read more about it].

Review all mystery birds to date.

More like this

Whiffling?

By Quiet Desperation (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

Yes, that's got to be whiffling -- to dump airspeed, maybe coming in for a landing.

By Luna_the_cat (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

For others like me who aren't familiar with this term, see this link.

A White-bellied Whiffling-Duck??

Aflack!

By Sweetwater Tom (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

Aflack!

By Sweetwater Tom (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

"goose" is all I can say. Dem gooses look all the same to me. Mmmm... pate.

By MadScientist (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

Hmm... I nod to a number of aircraft engineers daily. I must show this picture to them and ask why don't we try this.

Juuro looks like an extreme version of side-slipping with crossed controls which is what you can do with fixed-wing aircraft to dump height quickly without speeding up.

Abiding memory of an old WW2 pilot who had flown transports in Burma and used to like passing on helpful lessons learned to the youngsters. To demonstrate how to get into a field surrounded by unfriendly people he once called finals at 3000 ft directly over the boundary fence, cut the power and sideslipped rather bumpily down for a near-perfect landing. "See, nothing to it" he said, over the screams of the passengers.