The Less Fashionable Goose, and Migrant Challenges
Hybrid event, online or in person @ Balmaclellan Smiddy, 7.30pm on 11 th January The goose – a big honking bird that you see in the sky or in fields across Galloway – surely they don’t get up to much? Or is this an example of an under-appreciated species that can reveal richer and more complex lives than you might initially have thought?
Join this free event to find out more about the lives they lead and challenges geese face.
The Galloway Glens Scheme has been working in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland’s team at Threave Estate to better understand the geese of Galloway. Individual birds have been tagged and tracked, revealing timings and destinations for these amazing creatures. But are their challenges increasing? And what can we do to help them?
This event is being delivered in ‘hybrid’ format, with attendees either invited to dial in via zoom online or to attend in person at the Balmaclellan Smiddy on 11 th January. Free tickets can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-less-fashionable-goose-andmigrant-challenges-tickets-433443550327.
Dr Larry Griffin, one of the foremost Goose experts in the region will be speaking at the event and said:
“The Geese you see on the same field each day might not actually be the same birds, some are English birds hiding in plain sight perhaps having just been on a journey of a 100 miles or more or some might have been at Gretna or the Nith the day before or they might be heading into the remote Galloway hills for a few nights with other birds switching into the flock in their place. Why this turnover of birds? One can only guess and head-scratch at this point as it is very early days in our understanding and data collection, but what is clear is that they are much bigger characters than expected and have far more diverse stories to tell than anticipated…”
Nick Chisholm, Galloway Glens Project Officer, added:
The traditional time for a panto is the new year so what would be better than starting the 2023 events season with a talk from our own Father Goose, Dr Larry Griffin. Larry will be doing a whistle stop tour through the Goose News of 2022 and then talking about one of our bridesmaid species, our only native breeding goose, the Greylag. Much misunderstood and maligned by some, we have started tracking a few and the early results are very surprising.” The Galloway Glens is a 5-year suite of projects aimed at connecting people with their heritage, boosting the local economy and supporting sustainable, thriving communities. It is an initiative of Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Environment Team funded by a range of partners including the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Drax, the owner of the Galloway Hydro Scheme. More info: www.gallowayglens.org.
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