Can you count feral Barnacle Geese? (1 Viewer)

D

devilbirder

Well-known member

• Feb 7, 2009

• #1

Hi,
Just wondering if it is generally acceptable to count feral Barnacle Geese, especially the East Anglian and Kent birds? Thanks in advance.

 

Quercus

homo sarkensis

• Feb 7, 2009

• #2

Do you count pheasant, red-legged partridge, little owl, parakeets?

 

Keith Dickinson

Well-known member

Opus Editor

• Feb 7, 2009

• #3

Count anything you want mate, at the end of the day it's your list.
The only time it becomes an issue is if you are conforming to somebody else's recommendations, ie BOU, UK400 etc.
I've got Ross's goose, barnacle goose and snow goose on a list that I keep at home but they don't feature on my Bubo list.

 

D

devilbirder

Well-known member

• Feb 7, 2009

• #4

thanks for replies.

Quercus said:

Do you count pheasant, red-legged partridge, little owl, parakeets?

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I do, but I gathered that Barnacle Geese are more debatable? Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick.

Keith Dickinson said:

Count anything you want mate, at the end of the day it's your list.
The only time it becomes an issue is if you are conforming to somebody else's recommendations, ie BOU, UK400 etc.
I've got Ross's goose, barnacle goose and snow goose on a list that I keep at home but they don't feature on my Bubo list.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm talking about BOU and public lists on bubo etc, so I suppose I should follow along with you and keep barnies clear?

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Feb 8, 2009

• #5

The Devil Bird said:

Thanks. I'm talking about BOU and public lists on bubo etc, so I suppose I should follow along with you and keep barnies clear?

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That's basicaly it........ only count Barnacles that appear genuinely wild. (Those Muscovy ducks won't count either....!!)

There was a nice flock at Rainham RSPB the other winter, and they occasionally (wild flocks that is) penetrate even further into the the south east. But Feral flocks of Greylags and Canadas, they're countable as far as i'm aware. If you want too..........

 

Last edited: Feb 8, 2009

S

Steve Lister

Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.

• Feb 8, 2009

• #6

Feral Barnacle Geese are regarded as category C by the BOU and so are countable. Just be careful about the odd very tame ones that are more likely escapes than ferals.

Steve

 

Tri-Counties Birder

AKA The Portland Naturalist

• Feb 22, 2009

• #7

Hi David,

Ultimately, it is of course up to you.

But just for the record, I personally do not have it on my full list (and I won't until I see some in northern england/scotland in winter) i.e. if you ask me my life list, the number is 247, and is not including Barnacle, even though I have seen many among Canadas in the south, and also seen a few small flocks, which could have been of wild origin, but there is no way to be sure, so I take the conservative option, and not count them.

P.S. Does anyone have any info on the flock of c130 that I saw (in the wild part) at Slimbridge recently, are they all escapes?