Geese

[Minorcafan]

Seen a flock of geese heading north about an hour ago. Migrating early?

 

[bigyetiman]

Probably several local groups meeting up to forage in stubble fields. We have a huge flock of 149 Canada Geese, 47 Egyptian Geese, and 8 Greylags feeding on the stubble field out front morning and eve, then they spend all day loafing around our lake. Much to our resident flocks disgust, although our Egyptian geese seem to enjoy their new friends.

 

[Hen-Gen]

Geese are a much discussed subject up here. Just a few years back there were about a dozen pairs nesting on the North hill. But then, for some inexplicable reason, flocks from Iceland and Greenland decided that rather than flying South to the Solway Firth or Norfolk Mudflats why not spend the winter on a small green island that they hitherto flew over. Now we have vast number of Greylags every winter denuding the crofts of grass and pooing everywhere
But there is an upside. Every winter we have a social event called Goose Pie Night. Every one turns up for good food, much carousing and an over all good time.

 

[dinosaw]

Has anyone on the island ever made their own flock from them by clipping the wings on a few?

 

[bigyetiman]

That sounds fun Hen-Gen. We have Canada Goose egg spring. it's a way of keeping the breeding numbers down on our lake, by eating the eggs. Make fantastic omelettes. Boiled are ok, you just have to remember to have a jam jar handy to hold it

 

[Minorcafan]

Has anyone on the island ever made their own flock from them by clipping the wings on a few?

Got to catch them first 05