Paris Park Goose

This morning I joined a birding group organized by CORIF (Ornithological Center in Ile-de-France--i.e. the greater Paris region). The walk was led by a terrific guide named Mathieu, in the Parc Montsouris in Paris (14th arrondissement, not far from our apartment).

We saw perhaps 20-25 species (I didn't keep a precise list)--most were small and high in trees, but this guy was close enough for my point-and-shoot. It's a Bar-Headed Goose, native to high altitudes in Central Asia; my excellent Collins guide notes that "escaped feral birds may appear in Europe"--so a true birder couldn't put it on her list.