On Sun, 1 Oct 2000 MBlanchrd at aol.com wrote:

> Several weeks ago, I saw a flock of Canada geese on Capitol Lake (in Olympia)
> with a white goose in with them. She was totally white and very much a
> domesticated goose. This was NOT an albino honker, NOT an all white snowy,
> not a wild bird at all, she was your average barnyard goose.
> On Wednesday, my husband saw this same flock ? at least, he saw a flock of
> Canadas flying into Nisqually with the same white goose in formation with
> them.

I also so this flock on Capitol Lake and, several days later, in an agricultural field between the
Nisqually River and McAllister Creek. I wondered if it was at all possible to have two white,
domestic geese hanging with different flocks of Canada Geese in Thurston County. I doubt. For me,
the most interesting aspect is the movement from a distinctly urban environment, Capitol Lake,
to a very much rural environment (Nisqually Valley). In discussions of the growing numbers of
"nuisance" Canada Geese in the urban area, questions concerning movements often arise. Are the urban
birds ever found in areas where they might be taken by hunters? These observations suggest that they
are. It may not be 100% reliable to interpret this to be the same flock, but it's pretty likely that
it is.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington