tweets -

My wife was visiting Seattle last weekend while I was on the east coast and
spent some time birding at Nisqually on 4/17. She reported what sounds to
me like a Ross's Goose pair - 1 white and 1 blue phase. She saw the field
trip report for 4/17 on tweeters which only mentioned a White-fronted
Goose. I know that blue phase Ross's are fairly rare so assumed this would
be of interest to west side birders. Below is her description.

Thanks, Charles.

"Two geese (who looked like they were "with" each other), about the same
size, one white, one "blue". Saw and identified the white goose first as
a snow goose -- looked too big to be a Ross' goose, based on comparison
with Canada geese in the area. Could not see feet/legs, and a bit too far
away to get a good look at the bill (no scope). "Blue" goose had a white
face (eyes were surrounded with white), but a dark throat and back of head;
a pattern identical to the Nat. Geo Guide's picture of blue-phase Ross'.
Bill same color as the white goose (pink), but again, no more detail could
be observed.

Geese were seen Sat. at about 5:30 PM across a pond returning from the 5 or
6-mile loop hike (not far from the parking lot). Pond had pintail,
shoveler, mallard, coot."




Charles E. Swift
Moscow, Idaho
charless at umich.edu