During my early morning walk around Schoolhouse Pond, I found an adult 
Greater White-fronted Goose among the over 700 Canada Geese.  When I found 
the bird, it was sleeping on a mudflat near the rear of the pond next to 
the wood post which used to have an osprey platform.  I first saw it at 
7:15, and even in the dim light the bright orange legs and streaking on 
the belly and lower breast were clearly seen as the bird stood on the 
mud.  It stirred briefly, and I saw the orange bill with white around the 
base.  I watched the bird for about 15 minutes through my bins, than got 
my scope out of my car and got better looks at the bird as it began to 
walk on the mudflats and then swim slowly on the water.  I got better 
looks at the bill at this time, and the white around the bill.  The 
streaking was very bold and evident when the bird was out of the water.  
In all, I watched the bird from 7:15 until 7:47.  It was still there when 
I went in the office, swimming among the Canada Geese.

Please note that this bird shouldn't be confused with the small group of 
Graylag Geese that are always at the pond.  A few of the Graylag Geese 
have plumage similar to a juv. White-fronted Goose, but none of these 
birds have the black streaking on the belly and lower breast.  Also, the 
bill on the Greater White-fronted Goose is pretty distinctive.  The 
streaking on the Greater White-fronted Goose should allow this bird to be 
pretty easily separated from the domestic geese.  

It is pretty common to have 700 or 800 Canada Geese in the morning at 
Schoolhouse Pond, but the birds disperse gradually over the morning, and 
typically by lunchtime there are very few left.  I am not anticipating too 
many gulls in the near future.  All of the ice has melted from the pond, 
and that seems to be one of the main attractions for large numbers of 
gulls to stop at the pond.

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS