The Barnacle Geese are back on the reserve having gradually built up their numbers over the recent days. Assistant warden Ed counted 73 flying over today and they were then seen on the wet grassland near Paddy's Pool which has traditionally been a good place to see them - try looking back to Paddy's Pool hide from the Mike Corner screen. The numbers are increasing each year, probably almost double what we had in the first year the reserve was opened. This year the grass has been topped to remove the creeping thistle then grazed so the grass may be better for these geese and so encourage them to stay where they can be seen.
Probably many saw the David Attenborough 'Life Story' on TV which showed the goslings leaving the nests. Those birds will now be wintering on the western side of this country while some of our birds may be descended from escaped captive birds now living wild - like the Greylag and Canada geese.
Lockhart took this photo today.
Most of our winter visitors are appearing with increasing Golden Plover numbers and sightings of the winter thrushes - Redwings and Fieldfares - flying over.
Peter