European White-fronted Goose

This was found at Ferry Meadows yesterday by newcomer on the block Malte Busch, who also found a Great Grey Shrike here but that could not be relocated this morning. I relocated the goose with a flock of Greylags just west of the river along the Nene Valley Railway.

Note the pinkish bill and clear white band at the tail tip, features that help place it in the North-east European tunra population rather than that from Greenland.

Lone adults consorting with feral geese are often written off as escapes but there have been no records of such birds in the summer and there can be little doubt this is wild bird. There has been an unusual influx of these geese into Britain over the past week or so and no doubt we will see more.

It would be nice to get a decent bird that isn't only photographable at a distance in half light.

European White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons

Canon EOS500D 70-300mm IS USM