So I have to add to this discussion. A lone white goose is "most likely" a Ross's Goose and I add another data point to support Jeff's working hypothesis. I was birding some of my favorite haunts on Percy Priest Lake this afternoon (see subsequent post) while hoping the cool air would push off the cold/sinus infection I felt coming on (it didn't, and I feel worse now, but I had fun birding). Anyway, I was scanning the water from Anderson Rd Rec area. I saw at a long distance a funny looking white gull with black primaries, flying weird. I was temporarily befuddled as it was a messed up gull, but after a short while I realized it was a goose. It bird banked a couple times and gave nice views. It was a single, lone, solo Ross's Goose. The bird landed and swam around nervously as if it was waiting for the flock to arrive. I later saw the bird from Hamilton Creek (which isn't far and scans some of the same waters). So a lone white goose is "most likely" a Ross's Goose! This was my first Ross's Goose for Percy Priest, and very much unexpected. Great birding! Scott Somershoe Alas the axiom does not always work; a single white goose I found on Friday (11/12/2010) at the Booker Farm Road equestrian center in Maury County was a Snow Goose. I think this rule-of-thumb works better in West TN. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > Sorry but the key words here were "MORE LIKELY" not ALWAYS and I've received reports from all across the eastern US with this being so. West TN is not the only area blessed in such a way. Single healthy, un-injured White Geese do show a definite tendency to be Ross's from a majority of reports and comments I've collected over the years. Thanks Bill for the report and it is duly recorded. Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens? State Ornithologist Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency P.O. Box 40747 Nashville, TN 37204 615-781-6653 (o) 615-781-6654 (fax) www.tnwatchablewildlife.org www.pbase.com/shoeman =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clarksville, TN __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________