Canada geese on the shore of the Beauly Firth.

They are, as the name suggests, an introduced species to the UK. An increasing number now "migrate" to the Beauly Firth each year from further South. Arriving after the breeding season to moult. In the process of moulting, they loose essential flight feathers, and are unable to fly for a few weeks.

Why here? It could various reasons, such as: good food supply; fairly safe (no wildfowlers... at this time of year); longer days and lighter nights give more time for feeding, and better chance of seeing predators whilst they are most vulnerable.

There were about seventy in this flock, and they've been about for several weeks.