Pole Star Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Have any other PW fowlers seen or know of any snow geese around the country ? there have been rumours that a pair nested in Orkney some two seasons or so ago & in this weeks Orcadian bird watch report by Erick Meek of the RSPB of 6 or so being seen here & incl 2 blue phase birds & one with Greylags . Also one has been seen wich was ringed in Germany apparently ,dose any one think these snow geese will get esablished in the UK as a resident breeder ? incidentally some chaps I had up here shooting with me 2 seasons ago from Buckinghamshire came of the hill & asked " what type of bird is White like a swann but shaped like a goose ? , must have been a snow goose I said :unsure: . ps or would these geese not be allowed to get established in the uk ? pps sorry for the balls up with the photo in my ringed goose post . Hope this makes sense but I dont know much about these geese . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 I think we had but i think some Italians shot them thinking they were in fact whooper swans.I think anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted June 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 I think we had but i think some Italians shot them thinking they were in fact whooper swans.I think anyway. Now am I surprised! or what ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 There was a Ross's on Ullswater a couple weeks ago and one on the Dee this winter (both with Resident Greys) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) There are quite a few feral snow geese in the UK. The largest established flocks are in Hampshire and the Western Isles. There are a few wild birds about most winters ( two Ross snow geese this winter with the pink feet in Norfolk). I think the populations have declined in recent years in some flocks. We used to have about 25 between sandringham and Holkham a few years ago , but they have now died out. Probably out competed by the expanding greylag population. Edited June 4, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted June 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 There are quite a few feral snow geese in the UK. The largest established flocks are in Hampshire and the Western Isles. There are a few wild birds about most winters ( two Ross snow geese this winter with the pink feet in Norfolk). I think the populations have declined in recent years in some flocks. We used to have about 25 between sandringham and Holkham a few years ago , but they have now died out. Probably out competed by the expanding greylag population. Thanks for your input chaps I wonder if the snow geese population in the uk will ever just suddenly grow till they reach pest proportion like canadas have & its true that Greylags are aggressive when competing for nesting areas & the older shooters have told me that since the Greylags have started to nest in Orkney the local duck numbers have fallen ? . Incidently are feral snow geese protected by law not that I want to bag any I may add ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Saw a pair of snows in with Canada's in the North a Scotland last yr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stirky Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 We had five snow geese on one of our marshes near Lancaster last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenntay Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 John they were from grange and ended up at the sand factory at southport ,ther was a mixed bunch of 17 snows and barnies escaped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Polestar, I do not know if greylags are agressive to ducks, I have never seen it myself, but locally over the years whilst greylags have increased canadas have declined in sync. I think Greys certainly out compete Canadas for nesting sites, and maybe being the native species greys have the slight edge when it comes to exploiting the overall habitat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoggy Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 There are quite a few feral snow geese in the UK. The largest established flocks are in Hampshire and the Western Isles. There are a few wild birds about most winters ( two Ross snow geese this winter with the pink feet in Norfolk). I think the populations have declined in recent years in some flocks. We used to have about 25 between sandringham and Holkham a few years ago , but they have now died out. Probably out competed by the expanding greylag population. We spotted the Greys last summer whilst out on Holkham beach..The numbers were quite astonishing!!!,,,Nice to see though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 I could be wrong here , but as I understand the law you can only shoot birds on the quarry and pest list and all other birds are protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 That's true, so no snow geese, etc. Now Ruddy ducks, well I think it is illegal to kill them aswell unless you are a member of one of the DEFRA hit squads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 John they were from grange and ended up at the sand factory at southport ,ther was a mixed bunch of 17 snows and barnies escaped I think most of them must have come from collections, but odd ones must get blown off route and carry on till they get here or Ireland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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