Geese and Gyr in Helgeland

I have recently returned from fieldwork. I spent just over two weeks in the Helgeland area of Norway, monitoring Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis (N=hvitkinngås) during the spring staging period, when birds stop off during their migration between the UK and the breeding grounds in Svalbard. It was a rather late spring, both in the UK as well as in Helgeland, with relatively few Barnacle Geese observed in our main study area.

Barnacle Geese feeding on coastal vegetation on the island of Tenna. Four of the peaks of the mountain range "The Seven Sisters" can clearly be seen in the background.

Barnacle Geese feeding close to a holiday cottage on the island of Tenna, May 2013.



There is a large local breeding population of Greylag Geese Anser anser (N=grågås) in our main study area in Herøy municipality (Nordland). Some of these have been ringed as part of long-term studies of the species in the Nordic countries.



A male Greylag Goose who appeared none to happy by my presence.

 

 

Greylag Goose with blue neck collar BG3, ringed in Herøy in 2012 and seen same area May 2013



One of the highlights during this spring was a rather confiding young (second calendar-year) Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus (N=jaktfalk) which spent several days on the island of Tenna, Herøy in mid-May. The bird was seen to chase and almost catch a Barnacle Goose on one occasion!

Gyrfalcon, seconds before it flew after a small flock of Barnacle Geese