Brent Geese in greater Dublin area

[Ruckedtobits]

On Monday 23rd November, we had the first sighting of our annual flock of Brent Geese, estimated by manual count at about 300 or so. For the last couple of years we have wondered where else they alight in the greater Dublin area as we see see them landing and taking off regularly from a couple of sports fields in the D6 area. By mid-December last year, they often stayed in location for a couple of days, grass feeding and dropping fertilizer in a very effective manner - they move in apparant unison across five or six pitches before all settling down and then departing in a fairly organised fashion.

Departures are spectacular. A "squadron" of leaders take off and circle overhead and are joined progressively, over about 10 minutes, by the flock who take off in waves of about 15-20, almost all in the same direction, with each group joining the overhead assembly in a loose echelon formation.

I'm not a bird-watcher but I became fascinated by the organisational expertise of these visitors during last winter. Over the past three years, their visits have varied but they have largely arrived in mid-late November and departed by early-mid February.

They might be the only large group of N American visitors we will have this winter

[ronk]

There’s an area of special conservation for Geese beside the sewage treatment plant in Ringsend.

[jimbobjoe]

Regularly seen in Portmarnock around the beach, estuary and the playing fields by the leisure centre.

[MarkyDeSad]

On Monday 23rd November, we had the first sighting of our annual flock of Brent Geese, estimated by manual count at about 300 or so. For the last couple of years we have wondered where else they alight in the greater Dublin area as we see see them landing and taking off regularly from a couple of sports fields in the D6 area. By mid-December last year, they often stayed in location for a couple of days, grass feeding and dropping fertilizer in a very effective manner - they move in apparant unison across five or six pitches before all settling down and then departing in a fairly organised fashion.

Departures are spectacular. A "squadron" of leaders take off and circle overhead and are joined progressively, over about 10 minutes, by the flock who take off in waves of about 15-20, almost all in the same direction, with each group joining the overhead assembly in a loose echelon formation.

I'm not a bird-watcher but I became fascinated by the organisational expertise of these visitors during last winter. Over the past three years, their visits have varied but they have largely arrived in mid-late November and departed by early-mid February.

They might be the only large group of N American visitors we will have this winter

I see them regularly flying west over Rathmines in the mornings and a friend tells me they go to Éamonn Ceannt park on Sundrive Road where she watches them and possibly Tymon Park also.
Used see them often on the playing pitches on Griffith Avenue in front of Ard Scoil Rís in Marino though haven't been out that way as much the last couple of years, but they are creatures of habit.
This is an interesting if slightly poignant story about them: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/4-500-m ... -1.1093132

[Oldschoolsocks]

There was a rake of them in Tymon park last 2 years not seen any this year