The supergoose was there late this afternoon, with a bunch of Canadas. Domestic geese derive from two Old World species; the Graylag Goose and the Chinese Swan Goose.
The Reesor Pond bird is of the Graylag type, although huge (they are big geese at any rate), and bleached out in colour; the distinctive pink beak (white nail) and feet of the wild type have been retained. The head is mostly white (superficial resemblance to blue Snow Goose) but with a dark smudge on top (giving just the vaguest sense of a Bar-headed Goose, but not in any other particular). Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper and Hooded Merganser were also present. Reesor Pond is just south of Highway 7, just east of 9th Line, just north of (but not reached from) Highway 407, on the west side of 9th Line just before the bridge. Barry Kent MacKay > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Stan Long > Sent: September 20, 2005 2:53 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Ontbirds]Markham super goose > > A supergoose has shown up at Reesor Pond - is mostly > grey plumaged with black-tipped primaries beginning to > show - it looks like a juvenile but lacks the 'grin' patch and > dark legs that would identify it as a Snow goose - it has pink > legs and bill which rules out a Greater Snow Goose juvenile > - so my guess is a goose of the barnyard variety but magni- > ficent for all that [of course I have been wrong before] - > S Long > > _______________________________________________ > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial > birding organization. > Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] > For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit > http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm > ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
