The Greylag Goose is a relatively recent resident in the area, its first appearance on the blog was only in 2015, although I'm sure I had occasional sightings prior to that. Now I'm seeing them regularly both from the house and at Rowsley and counted 8 at Youlgreave yesterday. I have no evidence of breeding yet but it seems very likely. Meanwhile the number of Canada Geese is on the up with several pairs now nesting on the moors and successful breeding this year in the Whitworth Park. I counted a flock of 26 yesterday at Youlgreave and presume that these are immatures not at the breeding age of 3 to 4 years old yet. Will we see feral Barnacle Geese appearing in the future, they are already established at Carsington Water?
The Greylag Geese are not migratory although I suspect they move away from the immediate area, perhaps to Carsinginton to moult in the summer. I'm not aware of any Greylags nesting in the Darley Dale area yet but it can only be a matter of time. Unlike to Canada Geese which are still spreading. The migratory geese are the Pink-footed which overfly the area in the autumn, they breed in Iceland and winter on the Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts and we getting them moving across country.
I saw a flock of ten fly over the house this morning in Rowsley we were wondering we're they not supposed to be in the artic ?
ReplyDeleteThe Greylag Geese are not migratory although I suspect they move away from the immediate area, perhaps to Carsinginton to moult in the summer. I'm not aware of any Greylags nesting in the Darley Dale area yet but it can only be a matter of time. Unlike to Canada Geese which are still spreading.
ReplyDeleteThe migratory geese are the Pink-footed which overfly the area in the autumn, they breed in Iceland and winter on the Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts and we getting them moving across country.