Chuck Pilling has had a bunch of Red-breasted Geese at his place of
late. You might call him to see if he lost one (he's in the Seattle
phone book).

I think the mergansers that winter on the lake you mentioned are probably
Commons. Common might also be along salt water, especially early in the
fall. The distinction amongst females & juveniles of Common vs.
Red-breasted Mergansers is subtle.

Gene Hunn.

On Mon, 25 Sep 1995, Maureen Ellis wrote:

>
> As of last Friday, Sept 23, we had a red-breasted goose appear! The
> consensus is that this Siberian breeding species is probably an escapee
> from a zoo or a private collection. It is relatively "tame" or has
> learned quickly.....like the mallards, domestic geese, Canada goose wannabes
> (i.e., crossbreds), and hoards of gulls 'n crows.....that people = sumptuous
> handouts. Regardless of its origin, it is an exquisite small goose, and is
> drawing a lot of oohs 'n ahs from the Marina strollers.
>
> Our staying-for-the-winter wigeon flock has quadrupled in the past week
> to nearly 300 birds. We also now have 3 horned grebes, but no red-necked
> grebes yet. Sunday AM, there was a small flock (5-7 birds) of red-breasted
> mergansers briefly feeding close to shore before moving on. A long-time
> local birder told me that a merganser flock always winters at a private
> lake in Burien, not far north of Des Moines.
>
> Finally our first double-crested cormorants (just 2 now; many more later)
> have arrived to begin gracing every horizontal perch near the end of the
> small rock jetty fronting the marina. Within the past two weeks, a pair of
> killdeer have been hanging around the Des Moines Beach Park; no other small
> shorebirds, yet. Also no goldeneyes so far.
>
> And more surf scoters skimmed by; they'll be back within a few days. The
> great blue heron family was out in force, parents flying around together and
> two juveniles skulking separately at the waterfront. A nice Sunday morning.
>
> Maureen E Ellis
> Tox Group at Roos 1
> DEH, SPHCM
> Box 354695
> Univ of WA
> Seattle, WA 98195
> me2 at u.washington.edu
>