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Pink-footed geese

by Howard Atkinson

There have been several notable skeins of pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) flying over Ryedale this autumn, as they return south after breeding in the arctic. The geese have a very charactersitic, rather high-pitched flight note which often alerts one to their presence. Howard Atkinson sent this picture, showing the birds in the classic V-pattern, with the note:
“Here’s a snap of birds flying over taken about 14.00hrs on 25th Sept. I ran out of fingers but I think the count was 75!!!!”.

skein of pink-footed geese

A detail from the picture shows the individual birds better:

Photos © Howard Atkinson 2008; text © Gill Smith 2008 Back to the top and Index page