Goose Round up 2017

Sunday May 25th was scheduled for our annual "goose roundup". The forecast on Saturday evening was for light rain, clearing by 10 - perfect.  However, the forecast on early Sunday morning was for several hours of light rain, arriving at 9 !! - not so good. In the end, there was a brief shower soon after we started (presenting a bit of a problem for the scribes), but when this blew through it was mainly warm, overcast and with a light breeze for the rest of the day.  The Lake confirming the impression that its in a bit of a "rain shadow".  Just eight birds evaded the canoeists (and there was no attempt to include the creche in the round up), and the total catch was 596 Canada Geese, and a single Greylag.  Of the Canada Geese, 307 had been previously ringed - including a bird from Windermere with red colour ring.  Another had just a yellow spiral ring (of unknown origin), so a BTO ring was added; when it returns to its "home pond" we may learn more about its movements. A total of 205 were ringed (incl 6 with rings issued to Radipole RGp), and 84 were released (when our 200 rings were used up). Members present were Alan J, Amy, Andrew, Carlton, Carola, Elinor, Jerry, Peter, Ron, Ruth and Willow, and we had help from an additional 28 ringers/helpers, including the usual contingent from Chew Valley Lake and Radipole.  Special mention for their help, must go to Alan L (for cutting the "landing strip"); the canoeists - Pete Slater, Liz Slater, Bob Medland, Joanna Maurice, Ian Penn, Oscar Adedeji, Fenta Squirrell, Oliver MacIver and Petra Mitchard (though Jerry must have missed some names, as there were about 17 canoes involved); to Alan Ashman & Bob Webber (who did the majority of the weighing), and who with Ron, brought the pens/weighing kit over from Chew; to Matthew Ashman & Peter (who spent the whole session in the pen), and to Sue Parkinson & Ruth (who did the scribing).

A summary of the 307 Canadas with rings as follows - ringed at the Lake in 2016 (124), 2015 (68), 2014 (41), 2013 (28), 2012 (no roundup because of algal bloom), 2011 (19 - incl one on Radipole's ring), 2010 (3), 2009 (8), 2008 (6 - incl one on RPC's ring), 2007 (7), 2006 (2).  There was 1 control, which was ringed at Windermere (red colour ring with white letters AAKN), and also caught at the Lake in 2015.

Details on the history of Windermere movements can be found HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.