2 weeks ago I had a few hours spare after work not far from Martin Mere so  I popped in.  The highlight were the 2 Glossy Ibis which are still present and part of the national influx which started in midSeptember.  They were outside the main hide until they flew off.  I had a walk around all the reserves and just the usual suspects present.  Pink Footed Geese and a small number of Whooper Swans had arrived.  Over 20 Cattle Egrets were present and who knows they may have bred somewhere not far away as juveniles were present  in the late summer.

A Ross's Goose had arrived at Marshside with Pink Feet on the day.  Pink Footed Geese are an acceptable carrier species for Ross's Goose so any wandering with them would be accepted by the British Birds Rarities Committees.  However, on arrival at Marshside I saw it with Canda Geese and people talked about it spending time with Greylag Geese too.  Not the best credentials is it?  It was only recently that Ross's Geese records were analyzed and some were broadly thought to have been wild.  Ross's Geese have escaped from captivity but at the same time the North American population has grown and the chance of natural vagrancy has increased.  Recently 2 Ross's Geese were seen in many European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway and some Baltic States.  1 had rings on and it turned out it had been ringed in Canada some years before.  So it was clear that wild Ross's Geese were crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Like the Red Breasted Goose 2 years ago and the Snow Goose last year I doubt this will be accepted as a wild bird.  The Bad Company it is keeping won't help it.  

-- Edited by sarfraz on Friday 17th of October 2025 10:21:06 PM