To all-

My wife, son, and I found two white geese this morning at 11:30-12:00 at
a small park south of 212th along the east side of the river near the golf
course (Russell Road Park, mostly softball fields). In each of two nearby
groups of about 25 Canadas there was one white goose: one was
distinctly chunkier, if not a bit longer, than the Canadas, and I had no
problem identifying it as a snow goose, though there was no black on the
bill (bill and legs were pink). In the other group of Canadas, mostly
resting on the periphery of the foraging Canada group, was a similarly
marked white goose distinctly smaller than the Canadas, and
unquestionably smaller than the other white goose. It had a rounder
head, shorter neck, black line on the bill (which also gave me fits when I
referenced the Golden and NGS field guides), and a dark base to the bill
(we saw no protuberances). The Ross's?

We canvassed the areas around 212th and 68th, north to 178th, and saw no
geese of any color, starting at about 11am.

Cheers,
Jim
Psychology/Animal Behavior
University of Washington