I was also at Greenbelt Lake this afternoon to check out the bird in
question, and came to the same conclusion Bob did. I wanted to share a
webpage that is useful for helping with hybridized geese, since like Bob, my
 field book isn't perfect for such things. The webpage is:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/domgeese.htm

    It is run by Cornell University Ornithology, so it is a credible source.

    After I observed the goose for awhile, I continued my walk around the
lake and spotted a mature Bald Eagle which is not such a common thing at
this lake.

Robert Ostrowski
Greenbelt, MD



---- Bob Ringler <> wrote:
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)
>