Wayward Goose Recovers at Lake Tahoe
Mar 31, 7:23 PM (ET)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) - A rare, wayward goose is being treated at a
Lake Tahoe wildlife center after winter storms forced it to take refuge in a
most unlikely place - a ski resort. Sierra-at-Tahoe employees discovered the
lone Ross goose on Sunday, miles away from where the birds are usually
found, in the California Central Valley.

"I think he was on his way north and got a little off course, probably
because of the storms," said Tom Millham of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
A series of fast-moving storms brought strong winds and heavy snow to the
Sierra Nevada over the weekend.

"We will build him up a little bit right now, give him some tender loving
care and send him on his way as the storm passes," Millham said.
Wildlife experts said Ross geese are among the smallest and rarest in the
North America.

The goose was cold and afraid of the near-blizzard conditions at the ski
resort but wouldn't let anyone near it. After employees spent several
minutes chasing the bird, it flew into a building and suffered what Lake
Tahoe Wildlife Care operators said was a mild concussion.
Aaron Barnes, pub manager at Sierra-at-Tahoe, wrapped the goose up and took
it to the South Shore wildlife care facility.
Officials there said they hope to release the bird by the end of the week.

According to the "Birds of North America" field identification manual, the
Ross goose is described as the smallest and rarest of the North American
geese. It breeds in the Arctic and winters almost exclusively in
California's Central Valley. It is similar to the snow goose but smaller.
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Information from: Tahoe Daily Tribune, <http://tahoe.com/tribune>


00 caren
http://www.parkgallery.org
located on the internet this morning...
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