Category: Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose – 2021 Winter

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT

Greylag geese were rarely recorded in Pembrokeshire prior to 2000 but since 2011-12 they have been seen more regularly. Counts of 100+ birds are now not unusual on the upper parts of the Cleddau Estuary. They are thought to be descendants of a population introduced by wildfowlers to the Kidwelly area in Carmarthenshire.

Distribution

This map was produced by the West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre using data collected between November and February for the BTO Atlas 2007-11, with additional data collected in 2011-12 winter to fill gaps in coverage.

The main sites are:

The main flock of greylags spend their time commuting between the upper parts of the Cleddau Estuary, especially the Langwm-Hook-Eastern Cleddau area, and the surrounding fields where they feed. However, small numbers may be encountered on bodies of water of any size elsewhere.

Wetland Bird Survey

Monthly WeBS totals can be seen here

Pattern of occurrence

The cumulative number of records per week in Pembrokeshire since 2000, taken from BirdTrack.

Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)

HODGES J E. (2010-2020) Daugleddau Estuary and Milford Haven Waterway: annual surveillance of summer shelduck populations. Reports to the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group.

More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire

Greylag Goose – 2021-22 WeBS

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT

Updates to the Wetland Bird Survey counts for this season.

Data for June and July are collected by Jane Hodges during the annual surveillance of summer shelduck populations on the Cleddau Estuary complex. There are no counts in August. The September to March data is collected from sites across Pembrokeshire (including the Teifi Estuary) for the BTO Wetland Bird Survey.

These graphs will be updated as more data comes in.

Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)

HODGES J E. (2010-2020) Daugleddau Estuary and Milford Haven Waterway: annual surveillance of summer shelduck populations. Reports to the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group.

More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire

Greylag Goose – 2003-07 breeding

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – naturalised resident

Map produced by the West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre

Comparison with previous atlas:

1984-882003-07
Breeding confirmed1
Breeding probable2
Breeding possible2
No of tetrads occupied05 (of 490)
Percentage of tetrads1%

Greylags have been a regular winter visitors to the county since 1972, and are thought to be derived from feral populations. Today, the Greylag Goose is a naturalised resident in Pembrokeshire throughout the year, and breeding was confirmed during the 2003-07 survey.

As shown on the tetrad map, all the records were obtained in tetrads in the vicinity of the Eastern Cleddau, Slebech/Canaston area, or between the Eastern Cleddau and the Carmarthenshire border.  It seems likely that the small breeding population that is becoming established in this part of Pembrokeshire is derived from a feral population that was originally introduced by wildfowlers in the Kidwelly area, Carmarthenshire.

The breeding population is small, and is not thought to more than 3-6 pairs. Greylag Geese are, however, opportunistic colonisers, utilising farm reservoirs and large ponds with islands as nest sites, with grazing close-by.  Limiting factors on future range expansion are likely to include availability of suitable nest sites, an ultimately finite resource over which Greylag Geese could conceivably come into competition with a rapidly expanding Canada Goose population.

Jane Hodges

Rees, et al. 2008, Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pembrokeshire 2003-07. Pembrokeshire Bird Group.

More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire

Greylag Goose – 1994

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – Erratic visitor. Not recorded from July to September

Lockley et al. (1949) noted two shot at Pont Clew in January 1911, one taken at Orielton Decoy in 1914 and one seen at Milford Haven on 13 December 1930. Greylags have been recorded in 16 of the years since, mainly after 1972, often as single birds but occasionally in groups of up to 20 and mostly between December and February. Feral populations of Greylags have been widely established in Britain by wildfowlers during this period, the nearest being at Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire. This may well have been the origin of many of the Pembrokeshire records. However, small parties seen passing our headlands and islands during October and November are likely to have been wild birds from Iceland.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H, 1994, Birds of Pembrokeshire

More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire

Greylag Goose – 1980s winter

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – Erratic visitor. Not recorded from July to September

The BTO winter atlas showed that Greylag Geese were present in two 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84, presumed birds of feral origin.

Graham Rees. Pembrokeshire County Bird Recorder 1981-2007

Data collected by volunteers for the BTO. Lack, P. 1986 Atlas of wintering birds in Britain and Ireland. T & A.D. Poyser.

More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire

Greylag Goose

Annie

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – naturalised resident

Greylag Goose – 2003-07 breeding

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – naturalised resident Comparison with previous atlas: 1984-88 2003-07 Breeding confirmed 1 Breeding probable 2 Breeding possible 2 No of tetrads occupied 0 5 (of 490) Percentage of tetrads 1% Greylags have been a regular winter visitors to the county since 1972, and are thought to be derived from feral […]

Greylag Goose – 1994

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – Erratic visitor. Not recorded from July to September Lockley et al. (1949) noted two shot at Pont Clew in January 1911, one taken at Orielton Decoy in 1914 and one seen at Milford Haven on 13 December 1930. Greylags have been recorded in 16 of the years since, mainly after 1972, […]

Greylag Goose – 1980s winter

Anser anser – GWYDD WYLLT – Erratic visitor. Not recorded from July to September The BTO winter atlas showed that Greylag Geese were present in two 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84, presumed birds of feral origin. More about the Greylag Goose in Pembrokeshire