Swans, geese and a goshawk

Today (14th March 2012) I drove to Prestmoen, Stjørdal (Nord-Trøndelag) to look for swans and geese that have been reported in the area during the last couple of weeks. On a flooded stubble field there were 123 Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus (N=sangsvane), 15 Eurasian White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons albifrons (N=tundragås), 2 Bean Geese Anser fabilis (N=sædgås), 1 Greylag Goose Anser anser (N=grågås), and 4 Canada Geese Branta canadensis (N=kanadagås). This flock of birds attracted a lot of attention and there were several birdwatchers and photographers present this morning.

Whilst watching wildfowl feeding on the flooded stubbles, a young Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis (N=hønsehauk), flew up from behind and landed on a pole for a few minutes before flying off.

Apart from the first picture, the photographs below were all taken in rain (poor light and viewing conditions) and at some distance from the birds, using a compact camera through the telescope eyepiece ("digiscoped").

A view of the flooded field at Prestmoen

Whooper Swans

Bean Geese (with a Greylag Goose to left)

Eurasian White-fronted Geese in flight

 

Northern Goshawk (2nd calendar year)