On Tue, 25 Jul 1995, Stuart MacKay wrote about neck-collared Canada Geese:

> White neck collars - the official colour is grey ;-), with a black
> inscription of 3 digits followed by a letter are the work of the Oregon Fish &
> Wildlife.

Washington Dept Fish & Wildlife was involved in a number of these
bandings several years back along the lower Columbia - same collars; grey
with black letters. Don Kraege of WDFW should have some information on
these marked birds.

> Other neck collars belong to a variety of sources, none of which is
> coordinated by the Bird Banding Lab, SIGH.

Stuart,

I would be amazed that the Bird Banding Lab has stopped coordinating
color-marking. Just a few short years ago, Dan Bystrak of the BBL was
still color-marking/neck collaring/patagial marking/etc coordinator for them
back in Laurel, Maryland. I am unaware - without my notes - who has
taken over Dan's responsibilities.

Whenever I report a color-marked gull or neck-banded goose, they will
check their records of who is permitted to use which color mark on which
species, request of that bander (private, gov't or educational) for the
information on the color mark, and if the mark is individually
distinctive (as is an alpha-numeric coded plastic collar) they can
generate the same information as if one reported the band number itself -
as to when, where and by whom banded, age, sex (or is it gender?) and
species.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, WA
anderjda at dfw.wa.gov