I went to see the Tufted Duck yesterday, and along the way I saw some other
waterfowl I have questions about. Those of you who have visited the Everett
STP recently may have seen them, too; these birds were at a small pond along
the road between the turnoff from 529 and the STP, next to the boat business
with the big brick walls:

1) Canada Geese. This flock of 13 birds included several that looked
smallish and short-necked to me, but not small enough or dark enough to be
Cackling (minimus). One of them had a white border between the black of the
neck and the gray-brown of the breast. Might these geese be Lessers
(parvipes), or another intermediate-sized race? Is there a good way to tell?

2) Mallard-type domestic ducks. These birds were dark iridescent green
from head to tail. I have seen lots of domestic ducks, and have never been
particularly taken with them, but these were lovely! Does anyone know what
variety/breed these are, and where they come from?

Rachel Lawson
Seattle, WA
jbrown at halcyon.com