Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2004 17:55:53 -0500
Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From: Taylor McLean <taylormcl@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: White-fronted Goose; Baltimore County- Paper Mill Road
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On March 21, beginning at approx. 8:15 am and until 8:50 am
I saw a Greater White-fronted Goose at Paper Mill Road=20
in Baltimore County, MD
Description: this bird was swimming with a group of Canada Geese on the west side of the main lake area- close to the shore near some tall fallen trees on the lake bank. The bird was smaller than most of the Canada Geese and about the same = size as=20 a few of the Canada Geese ( except that its neck was shorter.) The bird I saw had a gray-brown back and neck;=20 the undertail coverts and flanks were white;=20 there was a white area at the base of the bill - this is the "white = front"; the white area extended to the forehead. the entire white area was immediately followed by a veritcal narrow band = of dark gray and=20 thereafter, the head and neck were a lighter gray-brown.
the bill was orange; actually (pink with some orange hues mixed in); the legs were orange.=20
The neck was subtly stripped on the sides with=20
thin alternating bands of the gray-brown and dark gray.=20
The back was a darker gray than the head and also had=20 parallel stripes of lighter gray running from side to side ( lateral stripes, not longitudinal)
At one point, I was fortunate to see the bird waddle onto land.=20 At this point, I saw dark splotches on the belly; some of the splotches were large; others were smaller dark splotches.
I was also fortunate to hear the bird several times! The noise was a = quick succession=20 of goose-like honks HA-he-a-ha or Ha-he-he. First note highest, second = note lowest. The quick succession of notes also had a wavering quality to it ( very = remotely=20 reminiscent of the first part of a common loon's call). =20 I heard the bird while I was viewing it in=20 my 30X scope ( maybe 223-300 yards away). Before that time I had heard = the noise=20 before seeing the bird and could only identify that the bird was one = that=20 I did not know. All told I heard the bird 5-7 times.=20
Kye Jenkins joined me and saw the bird, also.
At some point, the bird flew; When it flew,
the bird showed its rump which had a dark area in the center surrounded=20 by a medium to thin white U-shape area; the white area was in turn = surrounded by a dark band.
The marks seen in the field strongly indicate that the bird is a = white-fronted goose.
The main field mark is the white band at the base of the bill that = extends to the=20 forehead. Only a barnyard ( graylag) goose has the same.
This bird was not a barnyard (graylag) goose because This bird had dark = splotches on its belly whereas the barnyard goose does not have dark splotches.=20 Also, this bird was smaller than most of the canada Geese whereas the = barnyard goose tends to be larger in size. The calling of the goose is a good identifier; the barnyard geese that I = have heard in the past have had a =20 load raucously honk that does not vary in pitch; whereas this bird's = call had 3-4 notes -=20 all delivered in rapid succesion and each note with a different pitch.
This bird was also not a hybrid as the dark splotches on the stomach and = clearly defined white band at=20 the base of the bill and a lack of a darker gray cap would distinguish = this bird from White-fronted x canada
or White-fronted x snow Goose hybrids. =20
Good Birding !!
Taylor Mclean, Jr.
Towson, MD
taylormcl@comcast.net=20
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