Snow Geese (1 Viewer)

P

peter hayes

Guest

• Jan 2, 2003

• #1

Nice article today on page 6 of The Independent with photograph, saying Snow Geese have arrived unexpectedly on the Scottish island of Islay.

"A dozen of the geese appear to have ventured off course and flown a huge distance in the wrong direction, via Greenland, to touch down at Loch Gruinart for the winter."

The story also says there are currently 32,000 Barnacle Geese on the island - 8,100 of them at the RSPB reserve at Loch Gruinart. There's also a red breasted goose from Siberia.

It ends by saying that the geese cause tremendous damage to crops and land. Farmers are compensated by Scotiish Natural Heritage.

 

C

cjay

Well-known member

• Jan 2, 2003

• #2

Yes that is right The farmers are compensated. It seems that all Geese in Islay are wild whereas in Suffolk & Norfolk Snow Geese are "Always Feral" along with Barnacle Geese.

Wierd!!

CJ

 

T0ny

Okillre Member

• Jan 2, 2003

• #3

AFAIK, the reason is that there are several Wildfowl Parks with free-flying flocks of Snow & Barnacle Geese in East Anglia, so unless their origins can be proven wild, they will always be presumed feral / captive stock.

Tony

 

MikePearson

Well-known member

• Jan 2, 2003

• #4

Yes had two of snow goose with a large flock of greylag at Paxton (Cambs) yesterday.

Mike

 

monkeyman

Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.

• Jan 2, 2003

• #5

As we used to say in the West of Scotland:

" 'S no a goose at a'! "

 

MikePearson

Well-known member

• Jan 2, 2003

• #6

swot iz it then, Al?

Mike

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2003

• #7

There are also 2 Snow Geese at the North Slobs in Co.Wexford this winterne each of both colour morphs("blue" and white).
As I had never seen one,I went down(finally!)on Sunday last,and was rewarded with relatively distant but sufficient views of the white morph bird(it even flapped its wings for us!)
These are both considered to be wild birds,as they arrived with Greenland White-fronts.Wild Canada Geese also turn up there sometimes(saw 1 of the race interior Dec.01-Jan.02),and a few Pink-feet and Barnacles turn up annually.
3 Hen Harriers also(incl.1 ad.male)
Harry

 

monkeyman

Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.

• Jan 3, 2003

• #8

snocantell, Mike!