We received this update from Ben Mitchell, assistant warden at the RSPB Mersehead reserve..
"We now have a staggering 12,210 Barnacle geese (this is the second highest count ever and rising!) and a whopping 2,200 Pink-footed geese (highest EVER count!) Due to the good coverage that the barnacle geese are receiving on Autumnwatch (live feeds from Caerlaverock WWT reserve just across the Nith from us) you might be asked where people can go to see these fantastic birds and as you can see there is only one answer-Mersehead! Incidentally I believe their latest count was a mere 7000-pah!" :)
For further details and contact information please visit the Mersehead pages on the main website!
To witness the goose spectacle for yourself, you can attend a Goosey Gander walk at Mersehead. These are running each Thursday until 29 October from 11am - 1pm. The walks are free but booking is essential. For more information call 01387 780 579.
I have been enjoying the experience of watching pinkfeet numbers build up on the Lancashire coast and I usually see the birds arriving over Greater Manchester from the let down descent over the Pennines. Not this year but a flight of 30+ over urban east Lancs was nice on the 1st of November even if the birds had obviously been disturbed from feeding to the west.
It's not a hill it's a mountain, when you start off the climb.
We went on Saturday and I was surprised at the numbers of Barnacles this year especially around the Bruaich Hide. Ithink thats the name of the first Hide. Stunning close ups and when they flew which they did a few times, (really seemed to be quite flighty)the sight and sound was just amazing.
All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan