Hi tweeters:
Perhaps someone out there can help me with this identification:

On April 14/95 at the Courtenay estuary on Vancouver Island, just past the
lookout on the north side of the river, I saw a group of 7 geese ( 5 white,
2 dusky brown). All appeared to be the size and shape of a snow goose with
longish, thick necks, thick orange/pink (more orange than pink)bills and
orange/pink(more orange than pink)legs. Although lighting was bright
sunlight, I could not observe the 'black lips' which, I believe, is
characteristic of Snow Geese.

The 5 white geese showed traces of gray at the end of the primaries rather
than the noticable black of other snow geese that I have seen. None of the
birds took flight so that I was unable to observe underwing pattern. 2 of
these white geese where almost totally void of color except for slight gray
streaking on the back and tips of the primaries plus faint gray traces on
the neck near the head.

The 2 dusky brown birds appeared similar to immature white-fronted geese,
lacking the white patch in front of the face but with more orange than pink
bills. These 2 birds also lacked the white head and neck which, I believe,
is characteristic of the dark morph snow goose. The head and neck of these 2
birds appeared medium brown, noticably darker than the gray breast. Back,
wing and belly feather patterns appeared very similar to the greater
white-fronted goose drawings on page 41 of Peterson's Western Field Guide.

Perhaps these geese are domestic escapes? Also, Peterson mentions that snow
goose intermediates are frequent but does not describe them.