Hi VA birders,
A purported Greater White-fronted Goose was reported at Founders Park,
Alexandria, VA along with a photo (see eBird checklist and photo link below).
After Dinner, I was able to get over
to see the Goose. We found it in Oronoco Bay Park(1 block north of where it
was originally sighted). After watching it for awile it went to sleep
on a fallen log. From what I could see, it was nearly good for a Greater
White-fronted Goose - maybe 95%. But it didn't have a white-tipped tail
nor a white flank line. Otherwise, it had nice neck streaking, okay Orangey leg
color, some frosty edging to body feathers and even hints of black scalloping on
the breast.
My conclusion: Back-crossed Hybrid: Maybe it's great
grandparent was a regular White-fronted Goose hybrid and that bird and it's
offspring mated
with pure-bred White-fronted Geese resulting in this back-crossed bird that is
now virtually a pure bred(but still isn't). This would have entailed the
original
50/50 hybrid to have migrated north with White-fronted Geese during the
breeding season in northern Canada, but not unheard of.
So, in any case, it
would be good if others could go there tomorrow and get some good photos and
see what they think about my take on the bird.
Jason Berry
Washington, DC
P.S. Here's the original eBird altert:
*** Species Summary:
Greater White-fronted Goose (1 District of Columbia)
---------------------------------------------
Thank you for subscribing to the Needs Alert for District of Columbia.
The report below shows observations of species you have not seen in District of
Columbia, based on your eBird observations. View this alert on the web at
http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN10351
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) (1)
- Reported Sep 10, 2013 15:45 by Caroline Guelig
- Founders park, District of Columbia, District of Columbia
- Map:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=38.8082794,-77.0363045&ll=38.8082794,-77.0363045
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15140697
- Comments: "Same size as canada goose, no white at base of neck and white
around bill on face. Pinkish bill and feet
http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=9717527241"
***********
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