Will the real barnacle goose please stand up, honk, or wave its wing? After a weeklong flap among area birdwatchers concerning identification of a rare barnacle goose sighted in Steve Paproski’s cornfield alongside hundreds of Canada geese, Newtown resident Larry Fischer has set the record straight.

“I stopped by to look one day, and a very, very, very experienced birdwatcher pointed out the white-headed hybrid with the smudge behind the eye [that appeared in last week’s Bee] and said it was the barnacle goose. When I pointed out the real barnacle goose, I was looking at one very red-faced human,” said Larry. Not long afterward, we heard from James Smith of Amherst, Mass., who drove to Newtown and was able to photograph the actual bird in question. “I’m quite sure this is not the first barnacle goose ever seen in Connecticut or in New England. Nevertheless, it is still one of rarest birds to be recorded not only in New England but the whole of the US. Birders from as far away as Ohio have come to see it,” James said. Guess that puts Newtown in the record books, which at the end of its tercentennial year seems appropriate.

It’s been a pretty good tercentennial year for Amber Edwards and Justin Scott. The couple lent their considerable creative talents to the celebration. Amber’s production and directorial skills made the Tableaux Vivants production come alive on October 1 at the high school, and Justin’s literary skills landed the Newtown 2005 photo book on coffee tables across town just in time for Christmas. Amber and Justin’s cat, Vanilla, has been feeling a little neglected as the dynamic duo has been out earning well deserved accolades. But mostly Vanilla was feeling proud, but perhaps never so proud as this week. I got this from my friend on Tuesday:

Dear Black Cat On Top Of the Mountain,

  If you have room in the “human interest” part of your newspaper column.....My humans came home last night, at four o’clock in the morning, smelling like giant apes. Curious, I recalled that the newspaper under my water dish said that the new King Kong movie was premiering in New York. And then I remembered an email (I feel them itching through my fur, I presume you do, too.) to my female human from Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks — the 12-piece swing band that did the music for The Aviator and The Cotton Club movies — which said, “Dear Amber Edwards, Would you please be the Girl Singer when we play for 5,000 people at the King Kong post-premiere party?” Then I remembered her running around the house, banging on the piano and printing reams of sheet music in B flat. Then they were gone and I was alone for a long, long time. Then they came home laughing and singing and smelling like apes. Your faithful reader, Vanilla

The White Queen Cat of Parmalee Swamp PS: I’ve attached a photograph. Hope it’s not too blurry. The cat who took it was all paws.

No, Vanilla, it’s no blurrier than anything else I read without my glasses.

Concerned you might push the wrong button and lose those digitized holiday photos? Booth Library Program Director Kim Weber says there is still room in the Computer Specialty Class scheduled Saturday morning, December 10, from 9 to noon, taught by Dan Tannenbaum of Newtown Computer and Financial Services. “Dan’s going to cover CD burning and backups, digital photography, and online shopping safety. I know he’s passionate on this subject of saving files, so anyone interested should not hesitate to show up on Saturday,” Kim said. The class is free, and it will be held in the library’s public meeting room.

Judy Volpe and her team of walkers raised more than $9,000 in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. This was Judy’s 12th year participating in the program.

Twenty-five miniature Christmas trees decorated by local civic groups and organizations are on display at The Homesteads at Newtown. Stop by the assisted living community at 166 Mt Pleasant Road to place a bid in their silent auction. Next Thursday, December 15, there will be a Taste of Christmas featuring coffee and desserts from 5 to 7 pm. The winners will be announced at 7 pm.

The Newtown Service Unit of the Salvation Army is in dire need of bell ringers for its annual kettle collection this weekend and next in Newtown. Volunteers spend one hour ringing the bells at various sites around Newtown. Ninety percent of the money raised stays in Newtown. To help for one hour on either weekend call Sylvia Poulin at 426-6803 or Marie Sturdevant at 740-2733.

Time to ring out another week, but I’ll be back next week with more inside information about Newtown, so be sure to…

Read me again.