Barnacle Geese

skipz

Just wondering has anyone spotted any Barnacle geese about yet?
I used to live on the Louth coastline and every winter the Barnacle geese would visit the local strand and surrounding fields.
I loved watching these birds and it was great to see them return each year, its like the swallows and swifts for summer and the barnacle geese for winter.
When they left it was always a sign that that weather was picking up and spring was not far away!

V_Moth

Other than the odd escape, Barnacle Geese don't occur on the Irish east coast. A small flock formerly wintered on Lambay Island off north Dublin. The similar looking Brent Goose is fairly common all along the Louth coast.

The best place to see Barnacle Geese in Ireland is at Lissadell north of Sligo town.

skipz

Yeah they do look similar the Brent geese, but they are Barnacle geese.
Iv only seen them in this one area, maybe a flock of about no more than 50 birds. They return every winter to the same fields.
They have the white face and the call only the Barnacle goose makes.


http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/barnaclegoose/

I knew they are rare enough on the east coast, but i thought that was mainly south of Dublin?

V_Moth

skipz wrote: »

Yeah they do look similar the Brent geese, but they are Barnacle geese.
Iv only seen them in this one area, maybe a flock of about no more than 50 birds. They return every winter to the same fields.
They have the white face and the call only the Barnacle goose makes.


http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/barnaclegoose/

I knew they are rare enough on the east coast, but i thought that was mainly south of Dublin?

That is interesting. Whereabouts in Louth have you been seeing the geese?

Barnacle Geese are scarce away from their main wintering sites in Counties Donegal, Sligo and Mayo. Single birds can sometimes be seen mixed with other Geese. On the east coast, Barnacles are usually reported from the North Slob (Wexford), Kilcoole (Wicklow) and at Lurgangreen (Louth), but this may involve only one or two birds/year.

As a sidenote, there is a rapidly expanding feral population of Barnacles in the Baltic and the species (+Red-breasted Goose!) is now established in East Anglia.

Traonach

V_Moth wrote: »

As a sidenote, there is a rapidly expanding feral population of Barnacles in the Baltic and the species (+Red-breasted Goose!) is now established in East Anglia.

I think the Baltic population is derived from wild birds and not feral birds. I could be wrong though.

V_Moth

Traonach wrote: »

I think the Baltic population is derived from wild birds and not feral birds. I could be wrong though.

You are right. The population first became established on Gotland (Sweden) in 1971 following changes in agricultural practice.

On the subject of feral geese, it seems there is a breeding population of Snow Geese in Scotland. Flocks of up to 30 (!) have been reported at several locations in Britain recently.

Connacht

The Barnacles have been back in NW Mayo for a good while now. Have seen several 100 at a time.

miznomer

Hi Connaught, i wonder if i could direct you back to this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=74727692, i'm struggling with similar stove problems.
Sorry for distraction guys, is there a more direct way of contacting people?

cameramonkey

saw about 150 geese flying from the west to est pass over the dodder in rathfarnham at about 4 today.dont know what type they were.

V_Moth

cameramonkey wrote: »

saw about 150 geese flying from the west to est pass over the dodder in rathfarnham at about 4 today.dont know what type they were.

Probably Brent Geese flying to their inland feeding grounds.

Rainbowsend

Spotted this Barnacle Goose in Newcastle co Wicklow this morning, seemed to be a loner.

skipz

V_Moth wrote: »

That is interesting. Whereabouts in Louth have you been seeing the geese?

Barnacle Geese are scarce away from their main wintering sites in Counties Donegal, Sligo and Mayo. Single birds can sometimes be seen mixed with other Geese. On the east coast, Barnacles are usually reported from the North Slob (Wexford), Kilcoole (Wicklow) and at Lurgangreen (Louth), but this may involve only one or two birds/year.

As a sidenote, there is a rapidly expanding feral population of Barnacles in the Baltic and the species (+Red-breasted Goose!) is now established in East Anglia.

I can give you the location if you'd like to check it out and see if they are about, id say they are.
Il PM you the location details if you like?
Would love to check them out myself, but in Oz......:(

V_Moth

skipz wrote: »

I can give you the location if you'd like to check it out and see if they are about, id say they are.
Il PM you the location details if you like?
Would love to check them out myself, but in Oz......:(

That would be great, thanks.