scolopax Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Another record year for Pinks. Will they pass the 400,000 mark this year?!? http://monitoring.wwt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IGC_2014report.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Excellent news . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffydog Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 +1 but in a "Mr Burns" way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Yes, but Greys are declining still and may end up being protected as population is down 20% over the last few years. Significant numbers are shot in Iceland before they migrate (up to 30-40% of the population). All it takes is one bad breeding year........... and no restraint on shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 At one time BASC were advocating a two bird bag limit for the migratory greys, although many ignored it, but now with almost the entire population residing for the winter on the Orkneys it is a different situation. All those geese in one relatively small area will be raising the ire of the farmers and are therefore exposed to lots of shooting pressure. Plenty go there for their annual " wildfowling" over decoys trip and it is a long way to go for a two bird limit per flight, from what I gather the limits, if they even exist, are more like 10 per flight. Fortunately greylags are amazingly productive breeders, far more so than ducks, and are able to withstand a huge take, but even so numbers do seem be slowly falling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 How can geese breed faster than ducks? They don't mature to breed so fast and less young per season as and when they finally reach breeding age. Could you give me to this info / evidence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Because essentially they are grass eaters from day one and also very protective parents. They do not therefore depend on either the weather or a good insect supply. All they need is grass or similar vegetation to their liking. Being very long lived birds the average goose can afford to make a few mistakes before it finds a good predator free location to nest and rear young. I used to monitor/ count our local greylags during the summer moult. Average brood size of successfully reared goslings was a little over four, and that was the average. Some greylags could successfully rear ten, but five or six was the norm withe the average knocked down by the occasional pair with only one or two. I believe the average brood size of the Scottish breeders is three and that of the Icelandic geese two by the time they reach us, after being hammered in Iceland before they leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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