Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 08:55:50 -0800 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Clive Harris Subject: Richardson's and Snow Geese at Black Hills 2/2 In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Dear all There was more open water this morning on both sides of Rt 121 at Black Hills Reservoir so the geese and other birds were more spread out. I found four white-phase Snow Geese and one dark-phase Snow Goose, all rather distant. The latter seemed to have a rather long neck but this may just have been its posture while I was watching it, and also looked a little browner than I would've expected, but the tertials and wing coverts looked OK for a regulation "Blue" goose. I also found one very small Canada that was a Richardson's type. Sorting through the Canadas, I encountered some birds that left me a little puzzled. There were around half a dozen small Canadas that were not quite as small as the Richardson's and also that had a less stubby bill than this form. A couple of these had really quite narrow white cheek patches with almost pointed upper ends. I have had trouble tracking down good photos and info on the different forms of Canada goose on the web (as well as info on variability within these forms) and would be grateful if anyone could let me know of good sources. The coverage in the field guides (Sibley included) tends to be rather scanty. Regards Clive Harris Cabin John, Md clivegharris@yahoo.com --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================