For those who may not have read my report on this bird, included with my
post about the NVBC walk this morning, here it is. Dixie's pics were in much
more favorable lighting than mine.
After the NVBC walk at Jones Point Park, Brian Peters and I went looking for
the Greater White-fronted Goose that was first reported 2 days ago at
Founders Park on the Potomac in Alexandria. It was found again yesterday at
Oronoco Bay Park (Oronoco & Union Sts. in Alexandria) by Jason Berry and
IDed as a likely hybrid. We found the bird there again today and I got a few
pics (in very harsh light), which can be found at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveboltz/sets/72157635477668221/ ;.
Dave Boltz
-----Original Message-----
From: Dixie Sommers
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 10:16 PM
To: 'Jason Berry' ; va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Greater-white fronted Goose - Alexandria, VA.
I stopped by Founders Park about 6:45 this evening and the mystery goose was
still there. It was swimming, so markings on breast and belly not visible.
Photos and a video (which includes its call, in competition with airplanes
and sirens) can be found here:
http://ddpix.smugmug.com/Favorite-Places-in-Northern/Rest-of-Northern-Virgin
ia/28351279_3CW695#!i=2760275441&k=58fwGgP
Hope this helps on the ID.
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird [mailto:va-bird-bounces+dixiesommers=cs.com@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Jason Berry
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 9:47 PM
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Va-bird] Greater-white fronted Goose - Alexandria, VA.
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";
***********
You received this message because you are subscribed to eBird's Needs Alert
for District of Columbia
Manage your eBird alert subscriptions:
http://ebird.org/ebird/alerts
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