The geese are back on the lough - but where are young?

The geese are back on the lough - but where are young?

23 October 2013

THEY’VE returned in their thousands — but where are the youngsters? The Brent Geese are back, making Strangford Lough their home of choice for the winter after an arduous 3000 mile trip from the Arctic.

This month’s International Brent goose survey counted 34,000 geese in total in Ireland — around 22,000 of which are in Strangford Lough — but the numbers are somewhat lower than expected.

Last year 28,000 were counted on the Lough.

Following regular observation by Castle Epsie bird experts over the past few weeks, it is clear there is hardly any young amongst the large flocks that have arrived on Strangford Lough. It appears breeding conditions in the high arctic were far from ideal last summer, caused by a late spring and widespread snow cover across much of their breeding grounds.

The timing of spring is of paramount importance as to whether conditions are suitable for breeding, experts agree. The birds fat reserves, already partially used during their migration over the Greenland icecap, must be drawn upon for survival while waiting for conditions to improve, this year leaving little for the actual business of egg laying.

The Light-bellied Brent population has been growing over the last decade, doubling in size since the late 1990s. With this year marking the second poor breeding season in a row, another failure next year would mean much of this long term gain may be lost.

Despite the in numbers, Dot Blakely, Castle Espie resident bird expert, remains thrilled by their return.

“The enjoyment that I get out of the Brent Geese being back is when I see Brent Geese in Strangford for the very first time,” she said. “This can be either in the Brent Hide at Castle Espie on one of the ‘Guide in the Hide’ Sundays or Birdwatch Morning the last Thursday of the month.

“We get to see these beautiful small geese either feeding in front of the hide or giving everyone a noisy fly pass as the tide is on the turn.”

Among the geese that have been tagged and later resighted returning to Strangford Lough every year, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Castle Espie is welcoming back a pair to its mudflats for the 12th year in a row.

Caught and ringed as adults near Reykjavík, Iceland in May 2001 this pair have always been recorded together rearing families in 2004 and 2005.