Night flying bird

[Dave66]

Hi Guys,
I've just been out in the garden in the total darkness and heard a bird flying over head. I didn't get to see it but could hear it clearly. It was flying in a straight line, travelling quite fast, heading south. To me it sounded like a lone goose but i didn't think they flew at night. Does anyone have any suggestions.

cheers

Dave.

[Jason Green]

Evening Dave,

A goose was my first thought too! Did you hear the flight or a call? Birds tend to sleep fairly lightly, so it may have been disturbed and was seeking a place of safety. Alternatively it may have been feeding later than usual, and was then en-route to a roosting location. I wonder if it'll do the same tomorrow at that time?

Take care,

Jason

[Dave66]

Thanks for the reply Jason. I could hear the wings and it called every 3 or 4 beats. We do have a lot of Greylags and Cananda's in the area at the moment so i'm used to hearing them and it certainly sounded like a goose to me.

Cheers

Dave.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Dave66

Hi Guys,
It was flying in a straight line, travelling quite fast, heading south... Does anyone have any suggestions.

cheers

Dave.

You haven't given us much to go on Dave. Lots of birds fly at night!

What made you think it was a 'goose' btw?

I see you've added more detail now. If it sounded like a goose, it probably was one

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Dave66

Thanks for the reply Jason. I could hear the wings and it called every 3 or 4 beats. We do have a lot of Greylags and Cananda's in the area at the moment so i'm used to hearing them and it certainly sounded like a goose to me.

Cheers

Dave.

Geese generally feed during the day, however, they will feed under moonlight (and streetlighting, but that won't apply to you). As it's a three-quarter moon tonight, if the cloud cover isn't too thick in Argyll, the geese will flight back out to feed on the fields from their nightime roost - in your case the Add estuary.

Incidentally, there are usually a small number of whitefronted geese on the moss, they often hang out in the fields to the west of Barsloisnoch.

Cheers
Jonathan

[SheffieldLass]

Maybe it had decided to migrate further south. A lot of migration happens at night, by birds we think of as daytime birds.

[Dave66]

Thanks for that lads, Jonathan I take it you know my area. Do you ever get up here? Your right about the Add, plenty of geese around there. I've seen white fronted geese last year but haven't come across any this year, I'm sure their here I just haven't seen them.

Thanks

Dave.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Dave66

Jonathan I take it you know my area. Do you ever get up here?

Hi Dave,

Yes, my relatives live next to the old sawmill in Kilmichael Glen. I'll be up there for a few days in March, then again in April on my way to Islay.

Cheers
Jonathan

[Dave66]

Sorry Jonathan, you've told me this before heven't you, i've got a memory like a sieve mate. well if you're ever going out for wander up our way give me a shout and you can pass some of your bird knowledge on to me.

Cheers

Dave.