Help on goose ID

[Parenthesis]

As I've said already I'm new to this so be gentle...

My first question regards a bit of bird identification, i was out on pulborough brooks today and I spotted a goose I can't ID.

It bears a striking resembalance to a somewhat blue-phase snow goose but I think this is unlikely?

It was in amongst some canada geese and on take-off clearly showed the black and white wing of the snow goose however it didn't have a completely white body or kneck.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Joe

[Gill Catton]

Well, firstly, the fact that this mystery goose is amongst canadas suggests straight away that is an escaped bird (an possibly a hybrid - which would make it tougher to ID) rather than a rarer wild one, something like a snow goose would be likely to come in with other wild geese.
secondly the other dark bodied white headed goose is the emperor goose. Can you remember whther the goose's white head had a clean cut off into the darker feathers or was it more raggedy edged? (the former likely to be emperor), also other factor, can you remember the beak colour?

I saw a similar strange goose amongst barnacle geese in Lydd and this after some detective work came out as a likely emperor hybrid

[Parenthesis]

Hmm - having just googled the emporor I'd say it could be a hybrid of that sub species - It very definitely had the clearly defined black primarys of the snow goose though.

Wish I had got a better look at it - I guess it was an escaped hybryd.

Thank you

Joe