[EBB Sightings] Aleutian goose at Lake Merritt

What appears to me to be an Aleutian goose is persisting at Lake Merritt for
a second week. It was eating amongst the molting Canada goose population on
the lawn near the intersection of 14th Ave and Oak/Lakeside (near the Camron
Stanford house). The goose is much smaller than the more common variety and
has a white section around the base of the neck that is wider in the front
than the back. The bill is also shorter than the other geese.

I saw the greater white fronted goose early last week but have not refound
it since then. The Ross's Goose has also been absent.

Brown pelicans have returned and single individuals of American coot and
Pied-billed grebe were seen last week.

The Canada goose molt is well underway. Here are some count numbers from the
past few weeks:

May 6 - 133 adults, 21 young

May 12 - 175 adults, 20 young

May 19 - 307 adults, 46 young

May 26 - 604 adults, 50 young

June 2 - ~1200 adults, 47 young

June 9 - 1500 adults, 52 young

June 16 - 1540 adults, 12 young (other young indistinguishable from adults)

Kristi Whitfield
Oakland, CA