I live in Thornaby, Stockton on Tees and for the past month hundreds of the above birds have been landing and taking off over my house missing it by 2ft sometimes. These birds are using the new ponds constructed near The Holmes bend on the river Tees at the rear of my house. The birds land and take off either at dawn or dusk. Most take off in a SE direction ,139degs to be accurate, my question is, where are they all going?? Sometime there are only a few and other times hundreds. Is there a bird site available where these bird movements are tracked, similar to aircraft??
Hi Jacko,
The birds will be travelling out to their grazing areas though some will continue migrating south. They return to the ponds at night to roost.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi,
As Canada geese aren't native to Europe and the greylags we have in England are also feral in origin (unlike the wild, native and migratory populations that visit northern Britain, mainly in winter), neither species is truly migratory in your neck of the woods. So while in North America the Canada do truly migrate, in Britain I think they tend to lead much more sedentary lives along with the feral greylags. They are quick to exploit new wetland areas and new grazing opportunities and move between the two on a daily basis - roosting on the water and visiting preferred feeding areas each day. It may be your birds are just heading to the local golf course or something to help keep the grass short (wonder if there's a golfing rule for playing through goose poop?!)