Wild Goose Chase
On Sunday 22nd November some of the Mersey Estuary WeBS counters were out before dawn for a real wild goose chase. We are taking part in a nationally co-ordinated survey of roosting pink-footed geese. Until the 2010's pink-footed geese on the Mersey were very rare. However, from 2016, when 168 were counted, numbers roosting on the river and mudflats at night have increased, with up to 7,000 birds in February 2020. This is reflected in a national increase in this species.
The farmer gave me a ride across the canal at 6:30am so I could be looking over Ince Marshes at Sunrise. Andy was ready to count from the comfort of his house and Dan was at Oglet. Tim counted from Hale. In total we had 3,575 birds. They seem to have roosted near Oglet and then between 7:30 and 8:30 they gradually left the estuary in groups of 100 to 300 with some groups merging to form into much bigger flocks. They were quite high, in V formations, flying south and south-east to feed out in the fields of Cheshire. No birds were seen heading north.
As well as the geese there were in front of me 250 golden plovers who later flew off, and as my photo shows they were also in a V formation, though a lot less organised than the geese. There were some rafts of wigeon and mallard on the water as the tide ebbed away. Just below Frodsham Score was a group of 50 pintails, along with two avocets. Dan had a group of four whooper swans fly over.
This winter there is also a Spring goose count, which coincides with the March WeBS count.
Dermot Smith
The farmer gave me a ride across the canal at 6:30am so I could be looking over Ince Marshes at Sunrise. Andy was ready to count from the comfort of his house and Dan was at Oglet. Tim counted from Hale. In total we had 3,575 birds. They seem to have roosted near Oglet and then between 7:30 and 8:30 they gradually left the estuary in groups of 100 to 300 with some groups merging to form into much bigger flocks. They were quite high, in V formations, flying south and south-east to feed out in the fields of Cheshire. No birds were seen heading north.
As well as the geese there were in front of me 250 golden plovers who later flew off, and as my photo shows they were also in a V formation, though a lot less organised than the geese. There were some rafts of wigeon and mallard on the water as the tide ebbed away. Just below Frodsham Score was a group of 50 pintails, along with two avocets. Dan had a group of four whooper swans fly over.
This winter there is also a Spring goose count, which coincides with the March WeBS count.
Dermot Smith
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