Barnacle Goose (gobirding.eu)

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

Wild Barnacle Geese are rather scarce in Norfolk but odd birds are usually present among the wintering Pink-footed Geese (such as the birds in the first four photos below) and small flocks sometimes appear during influxes of geese from the near Continent. Much larger numbers occur in the north of the country of course and there is no better place to see them than at Caerlaverock WWT in south-west Scotland.


Barnacle Goose, south of Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 24th November 2004	Barnacle Geese, New Holkham - Wells (Norfolk, UK), 2nd December 2006

Barnacle Goose, south of Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 30th October 2007

Barnacle Geese, south of Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 18th December 2008


Barnacle Geese, Amner (Norfolk, UK), 20th November 2009

Barnacle Geese, Caerlaverock (Dumfries & Galloway, UK), 29th December 2005

Feral birds

Barnacle Geese are popular in captivity and escapes occur frequently in the UK. These have been breeding in the wild for a number of years but are now establishing a sizeable feral population, especially in eastern East Anglia. Of the individuals shown below, those that were photographed at Minsmere (Suffolk) in 2004 were part of a flock of some 250 birds.



Barnacle Geese, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 10th May 2008



Barnacle Geese, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 30th June 2008

Barnacle Geese, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th December 2008



Barnacle Geese, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 4th August 2009

Barnacle Goose, Abberton Reservoir (Essex, UK), 21st August 2004

Barnacle Geese, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 20th September 2004. The right hand individual shows white flecking throughout the black areas of the head, neck and breast, a form of albinism.

Barnacle Goose, Flixton GP (Suffolk, UK), 27th August 2005	Barnacle Geese, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 21st July 2006

Barnacle Geese, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 21st July 2006.

Barnacle Goose gosling, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 21st July 2006.

Barnacle Goose, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 17th March 2009	Barnacle Geese, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 11th February 2007

Barnacle Goose, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 29th March 2001. This presumed escape was present on the 'duckpond' at Salthouse for many years - probably seen by more birders than any other Barnacle Goose anywhere in the world!	Barnacle Geese, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 24th June 2007

Barnacle Goose, Lackford Lakes (Suffolk, UK), 2nd June 2007	Barnacle Goose, Whitlingham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 1st January 2009

Barnacle Goose (with Greylag Goose), Coxford (Norfolk, UK), 27th March 2009 (although it looks the same size it's actually smaller!)