Could this be a snow goose?

[tots1968]

Today, I took a couple of photos (not posted them yet as don't know how!!) of a little white goose like bird in the middle of a group of regular white geese. I looked it up and it looks like a snow goose (white, red bill narrower than a duck, thin neck, black feathers at rear (wing tips? ), daintier than a duck, but I am not whether it could be as it was only the size of your average duck. I would be grateful if anybody could clarify whether a snow goose could be that small as everything else fits.

[GuyF]

I'd say that it could possibly be a snow goose but if it is then it's likely to be an escape because wild snow geese tend to be amongst flocks of pnk-footed or other wild geese. If you go to the Gallery and click on the upload button along the top you can find your file and upload it into the unidentified Gallery, this would help with identification.
Guy

[Oscar2006]

[quote=tots1968;87705] of a little white goose like bird in the middle of a group of regular white geese. QUOTE]

We do not have groups of "regular white geese" in the UK except those in farmyard collections.
I think whatever bird you saw was not a wild goose anyway, but it could still have been a Snow goose, as there are many feral snow geese around.

Pictures wil help the ID when you manage to upload them.

Have fun on WAB

[tots1968]

Further to my recent post here are the pictures of the goose? it was among some other normal white geese so it certainly fits the description. If anybody is interested I photographed it in Queens Park in Crewe

[GuyF]

That is definetely a Snow Goose, and those are very nice pictures. Almost certainly a feral bird though.
Guy

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by GuyF

That is definetely a Snow Goose, and those are very nice pictures. Almost certainly a feral bird though.
Guy

Guy- I disagree. I'm pretty sure it's a Ross's Goose, close relative of Snow Goose I agree, but is considerably smaller + has a distinctive small but deep based bill. Undoubtedly feral, it's yet to be admitted onto the British list despite the good credentials of a 1st winter bird that turned up at Holkham with Pinkfeet a few years back + returning the following winter.

[tots1968]

Thanks for the information, if it aids identification I can tell you that it was roughly the same size as a mallard. How rare are ross's geese if they are rare at all?

This link points out that a rosss's goose has a rounder head than a snow goose which certainly does concur with the pictures. The size of the bird was the one thing that bothered me but having looked it up on the web it has a very rounded head which again fits the bird.

Snow Geese (near the bottom)

[GuyF]

Sorry, my mistake. Yes, Ross's Goose looks right.
Guy

[Oscar2006]

Originally Posted by tots1968

Thanks for the information, if it aids identification I can tell you that it was roughly the same size as a mallard. How rare are ross's geese if they are rare at all?

Wild ones are like rocking horse manure! you will never come across one or see it associating with Mallards!
GuyF & Aeshna5 have already indicated that it is a feral bird and as such is "only" a great opportunity to photograph what would be a really rare British bird.

[morpheus]

Just out of curiosity how do you know an animal is feral? if they are that rare and are usually only seen in captivity surely it would have a ring on it's leg or some other means of identification?