Paul O'Brien wrote:

If one could establish that a pair-bonded Barnacle/Richardson's Goose pair 
was
>present, one could make the case for natural origin.   I'm saying make the
>case, not prove, but all these BAGOs can't be escapes.


In regards to talk of a pair, I noticed in most my pictures the Barnacle 
Goose is in company of a Richardson's Goose.  There were other Richardson's 
Geese present, but they were not with the pair.  Wild orgin would certainly 
seem more likely if it were paired.  Judging by my pictures and Walter 
Ellison's comments the two birds do seem to be paired.  Hopefully this can 
be better established over the next few days.

Hans Holbrook
Columbia, MD





>
>Thanks to Jim Stasz, Walter Ellison and Hans Holbrook for directions to 
>Great
>Oak Pond.   Clive Harris made a valuable point concerning hybrids of 
>Barnacle
>and Richardson's Geese, regardless of the sub-species.   Richardson's now
>breed in Greenland, so a zone of overlap with Barnacle is a real 
>possibility.
>
>
>Paul O'Brien
>Rockville, Mont. Co., MD

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