Llangorse Ringing Group: ........ and "something completely different"

Saturday, 24 July 2021

........ and "something completely different"

In 2020 we were unable to do our annual Canada Goose roundup due to Covid restrictions, and although the restrictions had relaxed this year, we thought it inadvisable to gather some 50+ ringers/helpers/canoeists together from throughout South Wales and across the channel. A couple of weeks after taking this decision, there was a blue-green algal bloom alert at the Lake which would have prevented the canoeists from rounding up the birds anyway. An algal bloom had also happened approx 10 years ago. Kane Brides had already approached us participate in a colour ringing project of the expanding Barnacle Goose feral population, in order to establish if there were movements between the different areas. These geese at Llangorse tend to stay on lawns of the Acorn Activity Centre, and as fewer ringers would be needed, we attempted a catch on Sunday 18th. On arrival, the birds were in two loose groups, so first part of the plan was to move one group away from the water's edge, before putting up the pen/wing walls. The other group was then slowly herded through the tented area to join up with this first group, before walking them all into the pen. Everything went so smoothly, with the geese just slowly walking ahead of us, and the tents/canoes and other obstacles on the lawns, helping, rather than hindering the process - maybe next time will not be so easy with the birds being a bit more wary.

A total of 47 were caught, but one escaped during handling, which resulted in 40 adult and 6 well grown youngsters being ringed, Jerry had previously recorded broods of 3, 2 and 1. Each bird now has a metal ring under a grey colour (to signify Llangorse) on the right leg, and a blue colour ring (with 3 alpha-numeric code) on the left. LRGp has only previously ringed 4 Barnacle Geese (in 2005, 2007 and 2009) which were caught when mixed in with the much larger herd of Canada Geese being rounded up. The first confirmed breeding of Barnacle Goose at the Lake was in 2005, and the population has gradually built up since then (well described in a note by Mark Waldren in the Breconshire Birds 2019 Report). This year an additional two pairs (with their five very small goslings) were excluded from the catch, because of the risk of the goslings being trampled. The Group members participating in this new event were Alan J, Andy, George, Jeremy, Jerry, Peter and Rachel, and they had help from Matthew Ashworth (who brought the scales from Chew), and Kane Brides/Scott Petrek. We are grateful for Dave Freeland (of Acorn Adventures) for allowing the catch to go ahead, hopefully to become part of our annual calendar.