Barnacle Geese (1 Viewer)

[dave6991]

Have seen 3 small groups of Barnacle Geese in the river meadows on the Ivel River Bedfordshire, 2 groups of 6 and another of 2 birds in different meadows, my guide books say these are only winter visiters to Britain, is this true or as I suspect they are not that uncommon.

 

[chris butterworth]

Escaped Barnacles are widespread throughout the country, often in small flocks. The chances of that many being seen now, and that far south, are less than miniscule I'm afraid.

Chris

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Depends on how you look at it. They are almost as unlikely to be escapes as they are to be wild birds, and are most likely to be from the increasing feral population. Some people would argue these are 'countable' as they are self-sustaining, but it isn't quite the same as seeing wild birds in winter.

Stephen

 

[chris butterworth]

That's really picky Stephen. They have to be escaped though - feral alludes to domesticated, not captive, species escaped into the wild and breeding 8-P

Chris

 

[dave6991]

Thanks for the Info, they are still very handsome Birds

 

[chris butterworth]

Thanks for the Info, they are still very handsome Birds

I agree. Always worth seeing, whatever the provenance.

Chris

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

The population in Bedfordshire is countable in Cat C of the British list as a self sustaining feral population. There is a ringing scheme going on, so many will have red rings on the legs. I believe greatest breeding numbers are in the Willington area

 

[MJB]

That's really picky Stephen. They have to be escaped though - feral alludes to domesticated, not captive, species escaped into the wild and breeding 8-P Chris

Chris,
There have been several recent Dutch papers on winter geese 'losing' the migratory urge, which poses insurmountable problems for keeping track of winter migrant totals in some cases. In North America, so many wintering Canada Geese no longer migrate that the sedentary population has ceased to be identifiable as to species/subspecies in many locations. It's not impossible that a proportion of sedentary Barnacle Geese in UK originated in this way.
MJB

 

[chris butterworth]

Chris,
There have been several recent Dutch papers on winter geese 'losing' the migratory urge, which poses insurmountable problems for keeping track of winter migrant totals in some cases. In North America, so many wintering Canada Geese no longer migrate that the sedentary population has ceased to be identifiable as to species/subspecies in many locations. It's not impossible that a proportion of sedentary Barnacle Geese in UK originated in this way.
MJB

Thanks, I didn't know that. *Should have know someone would give me a well deserved, if metaphorical slap though *

Chris