Russian White-fronted Goose - Middleton Moor

 I mentioned the influx of White-fronted Geese in relation to the Youlgrave birds in December and the few regulars visiting Middleton Moor had thought that we were going to miss out. However,  a visit by Jon Lowes this morning in conditions that didn't look promising with thick mist turned up trumps with two birds on the lagoon, which then disappeared in to the mist.

After a  tense two and a half hour wait the mist finally lifted enough for us to confirm that they were still present. A first record for Middleton Moor as far as we can tell!

Russian White-fronted Goose

I was at Middleton on Saturday, and with widespread reports of Common Scoter and passage waders on inland waters I had high hopes but I was a little disappointed with Redshank and the first Dunlin of the year but not a bad haul on reflection.

Redshank

Winter plumaged Dunlin with Lapwing

 

Russian White-fronted Goose - Youlgrave

I've been checking the Greylag flock at Youlgrave regularly since numbers started to increase there, a decade or more ago and have been rewarded with several Pink-footed Geese over the years but have always hoped for something a little rarer. 

With records of Russian White-fronted Geese scattered across the country over the last few days I thought this would be a good time to check through the Youlgrave birds. 

Fortunately they were quite well positioned to north of the fishing lake and I was very pleased to find first one, with a very white face, and soon after another, with much less white. Both were obviously smaller than the Greylags which numbered about 120.

A patch tick for me so a nice Christmas present!

Russian White-fronted Goose