I visited Greenbelt Lake this afternoon to look for the reported White-fronted Goose. I saw the bird which I believe is the same one seen by Elaine. It is a Greylag X Canada Goose hybrid. It is significantly larger than the Canada Geese. It has the thick striated neck of a Greylag. It has the back pattern of a Canada Goose. The face has an enlarged dingy white cheek patch. Otherwise it was as Elaine described. Unfortunately the field guides cannot possibly illustrate all the plumage variations of Greylags and their hybrids and it is necessary to rely on general characteristics that point away from Greater White-fronted Goose.
--
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD


---- Elaine Hendricks <> wrote: 
> A short time ago I discovered a Greater White-fronted Goose at 
> Greenbelt Lake.  It  is in the northwest corner of the lake, in the 
> company of 18 Canada Geese.
> 
> It appears to be a juvenile.  It has a dusky-pink (as opposed to bright 
> pink) bill with a dark tip and only a small amount of white at the base 
> of the bill.  It is less darkly barred than an adult on the back and sides 
> and lacks the white stripe on the flank.
> 
> I observed this bird from 9:15 to 9:45, and it was still there when I left.  
> It was sitting quietly or sleeping in the water the entire time, so I was 
> not able to see its legs.
> 
> Elaine Hendricks
> Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)
>   
> 
> -- 
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