With all the Canada Geese stopping by on their southern migration this year, geese of a different color and marking stand out. Snow geese? I'm not sure, but I think what this photo shows is a white morph juvenile, as well as an adult blue morph. Please post if you think they're something else entirely. When startled, they flew off with the flock of Canada Geese.
I couldn't find any definitive information regarding why Snow Geese might infiltrate a flock of Canada Geese, but there were several postings online which reported seeing the same thing—random species such as the Snow, Ross, White-fronted, or Brant within a large flock of Canadas, who seem to accept them without a problem.
Some posters suggested that these stray geese seem to show up after their own species have moved on in their journey south; that they may seek the leadership, company and safety offered by flying with a flock, especially when feeding; and that they often go their own way once in flight. It is apparently during feeding that they are vulnerable and that's when they look for and join a feeding flock on the ground. Smart.
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