Grey Geese

Back in the 1970s, when I started birding, grey geese seemed to me to be almost as 'rare as hen's teeth' in Sussex and it was quite possible to go a whole winter without seeing any. In 1973 for example only 30 White-fronted Geese were recorded in the whole county and there were no records at all of Bean or Pink-footed Geese. The hard winter of 1978/79 bucked the trend with totals in Sussex of at least 1580 White-fronts, 101 Bean (yet to be split into Tundra & Taiga) and 200 Pink-feet but I was a student in Plymouth at the time so completely missed out on this influx.

Times change and, despite the trend towards milder winters, White-fronted Geese are now regular especially in the east of the county at Pett Level and Scotney. Tundra Bean Geese are also now near enough annual in small numbers but Pink-footed Geese remain surprisingly scarce in Sussex despite the vast numbers wintering only 200 miles away in Norfolk. Could it be that the huge numbers of feral Canada and Greylag Geese at large in southeast England provide a magnet for the scarcer species which now stay longer than in the past? 

News of all three species beside the River Ouse at Iford the previous day seemed like too good an opportunity to miss so, having parked up in Lewes, Bridget and I set off south along the muddy banks of the Ouse towards Southease. It was soon apparent however that the fields beside the river were devoid of any geese and that a change of plan was called for. At the tail end of 2021, Gareth and I had seen some White-fronts from the main track out on to the brooks from Iford Church. Sure enough, when we got round there, we could see a large flock of Canada & Greylag Geese to the north of the track which on closer inspection held yesterday's three Tundra Bean Geese. Something spooked the whole flock and they quickly departed south but on the opposite side of the track were more Greylags and with them the 15 White-fronted Geese and the single Pink-footed Goose from yesterday. After a while, the Bean Geese came back to join them - the first time I can recall seeing Bean, Pink-footed & White-fronted Geese together in a single flock in Sussex although Matt Eade has rightly pointed out that all three species (plus a Black Brant and a Red-breasted Goose) were at Pett Level in December 2010. Also seen in the area were a Peregrine perched on top of an electricity pylon and a Raven.

Pink-footed Goose

Tundra Bean Geese

Tundra Bean Geese with Greylags

White-fronted Geese with Greylags

Yesterday the Long-tailed Duck was still on Southwick Canal in its usual location and now into its third month.

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