Yesterday while driving along the Summit Hall turf fields in upper 
Montgomery County I came across two light brown and cream colored geese 
grazing along the back edge of one of the fields.  Thinking I might have 
my county Greater White Fronted, I put the scope on them and was 
dissapointed when they turned out to be a pair of Chinese Geese.  They 
looked very natural in their setting.  No different than the pair of 
Canadians I saw earlier grazing on the polo grounds.  The nearest house 
was at least a 1/2 mile away from where they were feeding.  Do these 
domestic geese retain the ability to fly?

Impoundments at Hughes Hollow ice free but very quiet.  A few RW 
Blackbirds singing from the tops of trees.  Also,  I have been unable to 
locate the flock of Horned Larks near the polo grounds since the Jan. snows.

Andy Martin
Gaithersburg