I went out to Black Hill this morning about 8 AM to see the Snow Geese
and than planned to go over to look for Czaplak's oriole. There was one
white goose in field where Joe Hanfman reported them yesterday. When I
got the scope on it however, I could not discern a grin patch and also
did not see any black primaries. The bird quite large, all white with
light gray flanks. Bill and leg color were pinkish.
Not feeling sure of myself, I drove over to boat ramp to see if the
resident white domestic goose was still around. He was, along with the
resident Graylag. There were also 2 add'l white geese hanging out with
2 Canada's a little further out in lake.
I looked at these 2 white geese expecting them to be the Snow's but
again, no grin patch or discernible black on primaries. These 2 birds
looked like clones of the bird back in the field off Old Baltimore Rd.
The 2 white geese and 2 Canada's took flight before I could put them in
the scope.
I than drove back to Old Baltimore Rd to look again at the first bird.
When I got there, the whole Canada Goose flock plus 3 white geese were
in flight leaving the field. I could see no black on primaries as the
white geese flew away. Could not relocate flock after this point.
I cannot comfortably say any of the birds I saw today were Snow Geese
(and to big to be Ross). I have a suspicion that besides the resident
domestic white goose that hangs out near boat ramp, there may be 3 other
feral white geese around Black Hill RP that can fly and feed with the
Canada flocks.
If someone sees these birds or the Snow's reported by Joe Hanfman,
please post.
Also had a late Osprey near the boat ramp area.
Andy Martin
Gaithersburg
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