On Wednesday's bike ride to Loch Arthur, I went via Beeswing and, again with time in hand, decided to take it really slowly and keep my eyes open for wildlife. Typically, there was very little to see beyond a couple of jays in the distance and some swans on the loch itself.
After lunch I cycled back along the road North of Kirkgunzeon with a couple of the others to come across a field full of hundreds of geese. My guess was that they would be greylags but I wasn't totally sure. This time I did have the camera and, on observing the photos this morning, started to have more doubts. In fact others more knowledgeable than myself confirmed that they were pink-footed geese.
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| Pink-footed geese |
Apparently one good tip is that, if the head and neck are noticeably darker than the body, the bird is likely to be a pink-footed goose. What started me wondering was the beaks. If you look closely, you'll see there is some grey on them.
The conversation on cycling onwards turned to the subject of birds that are seen less these days,and as usual I mentioned the kestrel.
Later I stopped at Lochrutton Loch, disturbing a number of ducks that I couldn't identify as a result, and saw a couple of cormorants and a heron in flight. Then, heading to the A75 roundabout, what should I come upon but a kestrel, flapping and hovering around the trees.
On the train to Carlisle on Friday, I noticed another flock of geese in a field, behaving in a similar manner to those pictured. I wonder if they were pink-footed geese too.
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