Geese over Cowal

[pamf]

Hi folks - At about 8.15 pm this evening (Fri 11 Sept 09), a v-shaped flock of 20 geese flew over my house. They were so close, it gave me quite a start! I think they were coming into land a bit further down the Cowal Peninsula. They seemed to have fairly long necks, but were silhouetted, so I couldn't tell colouring. I've looked up all my bird books and most migratory geese don't appear to arrive until October.

Excuse my ignorance, but do Canada Geese move about in small flocks like this? I understand that they don't migrate, so could they just be out for an evening jaunt?

Or who else might it be?

Many thanks!

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by pamf

Hi folks - At about 8.15 pm this evening (Fri 11 Sept 09), a v-shaped flock of 20 geese flew over my house. They were so close, it gave me quite a start! I think they were coming into land a bit further down the Cowal Peninsula. They seemed to have fairly long necks, but were silhouetted, so I couldn't tell colouring. I've looked up all my bird books and most migratory geese don't appear to arrive until October.

Many thanks!

I see them fly in formation quite frequently in the evening around here in Berkshire, or should I say hear them. They're often so noisy I hear them for approach for quite a while before I see them

[Jonners]

I saw a stubble field with a whole load of Greylags and a few Canada and Egyptian Geese last week. They kept arriving in parties of anything from half a dozen up to about 18.


Later in the week I saw more at another field, but again, late in the afternoon. I can remember holidaying down near Winchelsea one Summer and every evening Canada Geese would arrive in the field near the cottage we were renting and then they would leave early the next morning. Lovely to watch though

[nakedgardener]

Hi... I used to live on the Cowal (Kilfinan) it is a wee bit early for the migratory geese and swans, we would get a stream of flocks flying high over for a few days in October.

Canada geese are increasing in Argyll, as are greylag geese. It could be either of these, they will make short distance movements now that this years youngsters are flying. They will travel around for the best feeding sites and to roost and possibly across to the sweet grass on Bute.

Have a look at the Argyll Bird Club's site at Welcome to the Argyll Bird Club’s website

[pamf]

Hi folks - Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty sure they were Canada Geese. I went kayaking around the MacCormaig Isles over the weekend and found lots of them flitting about there too. They were much noisier though! The ones that flew past my house seemed to be in stealth mode