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Barnacle geese. Meelva, Matsalu

 

The passage and foraging of the barnacle geese arriving from the east goes on at full speed on coastal meadows and fields. This black-white-grey-patterned goose is smaller than the grey geese but very similar in flight view. A chattering rather than the cackling typical of the grey geese is heard; large flocks are quite audible and the white cheeks of the barnacle geese are visible  from far off.

 

The number of passing migrants has increased from year to year. Some decades ago they came to forage only during the spring migration. Barnacle geese are wary birds despite the fact that they are not hunted. For feeding they choose open meadows and fields. To cereal farmers they are unwanted visitors because they can graze off  much of the sprouted seeds. But coastal pastures and meadows in many places have become overgrown with reeds and shrubs and one eats where something is to be had - that is life for geese. Passing migrants are over 70 000 and some smaller flocks forage and feel at home in Estonia until snow comes.

 

One or two red-breasted geese (Branta ruficollis) may travel together with the barnacle geese.

 

Canada geese. Lake Hornborga, Sweden

 

 

The largest of the “black” or Branta geese, they stand out quite like giants among feeding barnacle geese  - sometimes they migrate and forage together.

 

Brant geese

 

 

The brant geese are the darkest among their relatives as the Estonian name mustlagle, “black goose”, says, and also the smallest. The adult birds have small white flecks on the black sides of their necks, lacking on young birds. The birds leave an overall impression of black-brown-grey pattern. A small number travel past our coast, feeding on the sea coast – for instance in North-west Estonia (observed during the past weekend), around Osmussaar, at Sõrve säär (according to Margus’s data about ten individuals) ...

 

Brant goose