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Bar-headed Geese near Chapel Hill/Carrboro



On Friday, Jan. 31, I first noticed 2 odd-looking geese at a pond 
beside
Smith Level Road just south of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. (I drive this 
road
frequently.) They were still present on Sunday, Feb. 2. 
Long story short:  I found their picture in the National Geographic 
Guide,
which helpfully shows exotic waterfowl that are kept in zoos and 
private
collections. The pair I saw are members of the Asian species Bar-headed
Goose (Anser indicus). Their heads are dramatically striped white and 
black,
the body is pale gray, and the tail appears to be black.  (For an 
image, see
http://www.indiabirds.com/content/FullImagePage.asp?Bird_SortID=56&cid=1
  )
The geese are/were close to the road -- I got good looks without 
stopping my
vehicle or using binoculars. (Stopping anywhere on the road shoulder is 
very
dangerous there. But one could use nearby driveways.)

Directions:  Smith Level Rd.goes under the Hwy. 54 bypass just south of
downtown Carrboro. Take Smith Level Rd. south. You'll cross Morgan 
Creek,
climb a hill, pass Culbreth Rd. on the left and the Village Apartments 
on
the right. Keep going. Just after Ray Rd. on the right (I think) and 
just
before Antler Pt. Rd., there's a nice-sized pond on the right. The 
geese
were hanging out on the closed-mowed grass between the road shoulder 
and the
pond. If you get to Damascus Church Rd. you've gone too far.

Ginger Travis
Chapel Hill, N.C.