Thanks to all the observers who have been sending in count information from all corners of the flyway - a comprehensive aerial survey of Western Iceland (Gudmundur & Svenja) , NW and NE Scotland (John and Bob), and as far south as northern France (Alain) - where geese have not made landfall as yet.
The preliminary total is just over 32,000 individuals of which around 10% are young birds born last summer and which have made it this far. That is from the major sites (Strangford, western Iceland and Lough Foyle in addition to a range of sites holding smaller numbers).
Earlier today, the flock of 178 at Dundrum Bay (see picture) comprised a lot of family units (28) with an average of number of juveniles per family of just under 3 (2.93 to be precise). So a pretty successful year. Just under half of this flock were juveniles (82 of 178; 46%) and you wouldn't want to be estimating overall productivity just on this small sample!!
Thanks for all your efforts over recent days - count data from various parts including the E coast (Down - Dublin), Tralee and Castlemaine will just about finish the assessment for this autumn. The total may well rise to over 35,000. Watch this space...
Following on from the good catch at Dundrum, County Down, in March this year, ring-reading immediately made it clear that co-incidence had thrown CHBY together with DIBY, and they were christened by local observers as Charles and Di!!
The (presumed) pair were also spotted by the University of Exeter team in May, at Saltvik, just north of Reykjavik, and now, today, I have recorded them back again at Dundrum Bay.
They are a really closely associated pair. Here's wishing them health to survive their relationship a bit longer (in brent goose years!!) than their royal counterparts!!
Busy weekend this weekend on the water bird counting front. Lots of sites being counted across Iceland, Ireland, western Britain, Jersey and France.
Latest 2 counts as follows - Friday < 24,000 at Strangford and just within the last few minutes Gudmundur, Svenja and Finnur report < 5,000 from aerial survey of western Iceland. Productivity assessments thus far suggest 8-9% for the 2015 breeding season, the best in a few years.
Further reports as they come in. Thanks to all involved!
