IN SEARCH OF BEAN GEESE
WEATHER: overcast but fairly good light. Light breeze. Temp 8C
Since the two day north-easterly wind battering we had earlier this week there has been an unprecedented influx of Geese into the British Isles. Huge numbers of Russian White-fronted Geese and a good number of Bean Geese have infiltrated our borders and settled on any marsh, grassland and body of water that they can find. Some are within easy driving from Yeovil. They are both on the ' Somerset Levels' and down in Dorset. It was an easy drive to Dorchester for my birding pal Guy and me.
Guy, the Yeovil Birding Guru, picked me up at 11:30am for this quick 'twitch' down to Dorchester to look for the 'Tundra' Bean Geese, two had been seen yesterday on the Charminster flood meadows on the outskirks of Dorchester.
We were in luck for a change, the Geese were showing well just a few meters beyond a hedge on the opposite side of the road to the huge flood meadows. We had intermittent good views of them as they worked their way along the smaller meadow passsing by small gaps in the hedgerow.
The 'Tundra' Bean Goose has a short bill with a small orange patch. It's rarer cousin, the 'Taiga' Bean Goose has a longer bill which is mainly orange with a black tip.
We had an unexpected bonus too! Two Russian White-fronted Geese were with the Beans, marvellous, a great successful 'twitch'.
Two Bean Geese with a White-fronted Goose
Other birds in the meadows included a lot of ducks on the flooded pools with Lapwings, Grey Herons, Mute Swans, Little Egret and a full compliment of the 5 common species of gulls: Black-headed, Common, Herring, Lesser BB and Greater BB.
one of each species
A large number of Wigeon fed on the grass, Teal romped around in the water with Mallard, Gadwall and a pair of Pintail. In the background a flock of Canada Geese fed quietly on the grass.
We stayed for about an hour. Just before we left, about 100 motorbikes came along the A37, the noise was quite deafening and the geese didn't like it. They flew up and over the A37 and landed as far as they could from the road, just dots in the distance, time to go me thinks.
Red Kites were seen on both journeys to and from Yeovil, along with Common Kestrel and a Common Buzzard. Back at my house and during our after-lunch mince pies we watched a Nuthatch visiting my feeders. That ended our birding for the day.