Greylag Geese

The Blipping life is full of surprises. Driving home this morning after Mrs.K’s weekly swim we suddenly came across at least two hundred Greylags in a field where we had never seen them before.

Overwintering birds from Iceland used to be concentrated in Scotland. But now they can be found in significant numbers in almost all part of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There has also been a large increase in the number breeding here. According to the BTO the 1968-72 Breeding Atlas showed them breeding in 126 ten kilometre squares in Britain. The latest survey gives a figure of 1508 squares.

These are immigrants which are most certainly welcome.