# Flaming Blue Goose



## fylling35 (Jun 15, 2007)

We shot this blue this spring. 
I thought that I had seen a thread about a bird like this before but I can't seem to find it now. I haven't ever seen a bird like this but I haven't shot that many snow/blue geese. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't have talked to you guys before I cleaned it.










It had some of the same down by the legs. I thought that I caught it in this picture but I guess not.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Its just rust from the "hard" water on some of the wintering grounds..

Quite a few of our birds from last weekend were rusted up.

I think they are cool looking. A rusted up Ross is on my list of wanted birds.


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## Ima870man (Oct 29, 2003)

The staining is caused either by high iron in the water where they roost or high iron in the soil where they feed. Hence, the staining on the head and around the feet.

Ima870man

Source http://www.ffdp.ca/hww2.asp?cid=7&id=51

Golden Rule 33: Eating crow is not so bad, its the humiliation later on that causes one to weep!


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## Ima870man (Oct 29, 2003)

Sorry Dblkluk, I did not see that you had already posted up.

But on the other hand, has anyone actually had taxidermy work done on a bird with the rusty stains left on the feathers around the head and such?

Ima870man

Golden Rule 13: Take the time to watch the sun rise and set for who knows what cards one will be dealt before the next sun rise!


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## bluebird (Feb 28, 2008)

I believe it's from the birds feeding in fields with red dirt in OK. Back in 2003 we hunted down off the Oklahoma Kansas Boarder and the birds were coming up from OK and they almost all had the red dirt face, is what we called it. I got a couple on the wall with the red face.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

As E and 870 stated, its from the higher concentrations on Iron in the water


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Ima870man said:


> Sorry Dblkluk, I did not see that you had already posted up.
> 
> But on the other hand, has anyone actually had taxidermy work done on a bird with the rusty stains left on the feathers around the head and such?
> 
> ...


I do not remove the rusty stains on these birds. I think it's what makes them very distinctive.


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## Ima870man (Oct 29, 2003)

Rick:
Would you have a picture of a completed bird that you could post up. I seem to recall one somewhere either on here or the AW site, but I could not find it. I think when they have rust on their white head that it is very unique and cool looking. Maybe one day I will have to have one completed with the rust colors on the feathers.

Thanks,

Ima870man

Golden Rule 17: Time is money; but with dollar being worth less, how come the days do not get shorter! :-?


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

You might be thinking of a pedestal mount I did for Charlie Gorecki...I think he goes by snowhunter on here???









Rick, can you get the rust off? I guess I've never really tried that hard. I remember doing one blue that the guy wanted the head to be really white. After bleaching it and brushing it with some sort of rust removing cleaning supply (I can't remember the name), I think I gave up with little success.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Cool looking mount Jonser!!



> Rick, can you get the rust off?


Could you airbrush it white??


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

dblkluk said:


> Could you airbrush it white??


That's what I ended up doing. You'd be suprised how much airbrusing is done on birds this far north. With how hard it is to get good specimens you'd be suprised how far a little airbrushing will go in turning a marginal bird into something that looks like it was shot down south.

On the blue, the airbrushing helped but you can't get too crazy...if you go overboard you end up with a bunch of feathers stuck together and it'll look dull compared to the satin look of a feather. Some of the rust still showed through, but on the wall it looked pretty white. The customer was happy with it.


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## possumfoot (Nov 7, 2006)

dowm here, they either have alot of rust, or none. we get some really good looking birds.


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Very cool mount Jones! :beer:


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