CLOSED: What WAS this?

This morning I pulled in the driveway and stopped, to get something lying in the road. When I got out, a BIG gray bird with a red...and I mean BRIGHT RED...ring around it's neck flew away from a tree next to the car. It happened so fast that's all I saw...big, grey, RED ring, possibly some white around the red.

I live in Virginia and the end of the driveway is next to quite a big stream. Any ideas what this might have been? I'd love to find out if it might be camping out down there, I will stalk it with my camera.

I know, it's not much to go on. I'm sorry.

might be an escapee. Hope you can get us a pic

I wonder if it might have been a pheasant. They don't have a red ring on their neck, but a white one, and bright red on their head. . . .? How big would you say it was ? I never saw one in a tree, though.

It was so big I thought it was a duck when I saw it flying away.

I just saw it again, but again it moved as soon as I stopped the car.... and now I think it might be some kind of woodpecker.

I am going to walk down there without the dogs or car or kids and see what I can see later this afternoon when my ex drops by, so he can watch the kids for me. It was in the same tree so I am holding out some hope. We'll see. : )

Could it have been a bird wearing a numbered neck collar for migration studies?

Like this Canada Goose:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/gfx/Warren%20Park%20Canada%20Goose%20with%20Neck%20Collar_wr.jpg