Sleeping geese

During the last full moon, there were several clear nights and the Barnacles were out feeding in the fields. They then spend the daytime snoozing on the mudflats at Bridgend and at Loch Gruinart. It makes them quite easy to count, though one has to take care not to count their reflections, too!
Malcolm

Dr Steve Percival ringing Barnacle geese at RSPB Loch Gruinart

Barnacle geese in the cannon net awaiting ringing and release.

Geese queuing up to be measured



Dr Steve Percival placing a ring around a leg....

Suitably labelled - away we go....

120 Barnacle geese were captured this morning on the RSPB nature reserve up at Loch Gruinart. using a cannon net. The geese feed and roost in huge flocks and it is possible, but by no means easy, to lure them within range of the net by baiting the ground with corn.

Once caught, various measurements are taken, and three rings placed on the legs. One is a red 'locality ring' which can easily be seen with binoculars and shows that the bird was caught in a particular location (it might be a red ring for Gruinart, but a blue ring for Bowmore for example). There is also a white 'Darvic Ring' which can be read, with luck and skill, while using a telescope, and then there is the standard metal BTO ring which can only be read by recapturing the bird, or finding it dead. So each bird captured is eventually released adorned with a fair amount of leg ornament.

The feeding behaviour patterns, population structure and breeding success of these Barnacle geese is of increasing interest to Islay's farmers, who are compensated by the Scottish Government for the very significant damage they do to grazing on the island which would otherwise be available to livestock. The existence of the flocks also means that farmers delay the seeding of the barley fields that are 'growing for Bruichladdich'. In recent years, in common with all areas of public expenditure, the budget available for this compensation has been cut. Some of islay's farmers are now calling for a cull to reduce the numbers.

The cannon netting is co-ordinated by Dr Steve Percival who, with his wife Tracey, has been coming to Islay to study the flocks of wintering geese for many years.

Barnacle geese - Gruinart

Taken from the 'New Hide' on the reserve.

Barnacle geese at Gruinart yesterday.  An informal count last Friday notched up 36,040 - with just 474 Whitefronts so far...

Barnacle Geese - Octomore Farm

Barnacle Geese at sunset - Loch Indaal

Walk from Lossit to Tormisdale last December

I don't think I ever got round to posting photos from this walk with Lorna last December - I hope not anyway, otherwise I am repeating myself!
Becky

Barnacle Geese above Lossit

Greenland White-fronted Geese near Lossit

Waterfall at Tormisdale

Barnacles at Ballitarsin

Just a small part of a colossal flock of Barnacle geese that were disturbed by shots at Ballitarsin this morning.

Skeins of Barnacle geese - Saligo

Barnacle geese - Bridgend Merse

They're back!

A handful of Barnacle Geese came in at the beginning of the week, and then counts by James How at Gruinart revealed 1,105 present first thing in the morning on Wednesday 3rd October, which had increased to 4,015 by lunchtime. More came in overnight so that there were just under 11,500 yesterday together with two small Canada Geese and several Pinkfeet.
Malcolm

Goose pressure on grazing

When we experience a period of lovely weather such as we have enjoyed recently it is easy to quickly forget what a difficult winter we have just had.  The fields are in a very poor condition.  Grass growth has been very limited, and the grazing pressure from geese extreme.  The fields around Gruinart have been literally stripped of every blade.  The green tinge that you can still see is almost entirely moss.  The big flocks appear to have now left however, so the ground will have a chance to recover.

Barnacles in the Blue

Barnacle geese in a blue blue sky near Rockside yesterday.  The weather remains hot, cloudless and still.

Barnacle Geese - Loch Gruinart

Barnacle geese going over Bruaich Jerich near Port Charlotte yesterday

Barnacle geese on seaweed

Barnacle geese feeding on seaweed near Gartmain this morning.  They seem to be particularly attracted to seaweed at the moment. maybe it is because there is more than usual because of the storms?  Ot maybe the grazing is deficient in some way because of the very difficult weather both now and in the autumn? - Carl

More geese roosting

With the weather continuing on the poor side of not very nice, I've been raiding my archives for photographs I took earlier. This second recent one of mine of Barnacle Geese roosting during the day on the mud at the head of Loch Indaal presents a nice little headache for unwary goose counters. Because of the reflections of the geese in the very shallow water on this calm day, one really does have to concentrate to only count the geese that are the right way up!
This photograph could also answer a question I've occasionally been asked. We know that geese stand on one leg because it is more comfortable, but from this photo how many are right-footed and how many are left-footed? I don't know because I've not checked. Anyone out there like to try........? And of course, it begs a second question which the photo can't help with. How often do they swap legs - if they do?
Malcolm

Sleeping geese

The Barnacle Geese will feed under the moon when they can and spend the day snoozing on the mudflats at the head of Loch Indaal.
Malcolm

Barnacle Geese - Loch Indaal

The village of Bruichladdich is in the background

Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese - Armin Grewe

Lovely shot from Armin of Whooper swans and Barnacle geese, taken last week I believe, on the fields of barley stubble between Sunderland and Rockside Farms on the Rhinns.  Many thanks Armin...