News

Bradford Ornithological Group

Rarities and Occasional Visitors - Swans and Geese

Return to Bird List

Bewick's Swan

Bean Goose

White-fronted Goose

BEWICK’S SWAN Cygnus columbianus		Scarce passage visitor
		Seen occasionally during the period 1987 to 2005. Click for pdf file. Most recent sightings:
	2004	Recorded for the second successive year. Two were found on Warley Moor Reservoir 27th March.
	2005	Increasingly scarce in the area, this species was seen for the third successive year, when two birds were found at Leeshaw Reservoir on 10th November.
BEAN GOOSE Anser fabalis		Scarce migrant and winter visitor
	1987	One adult at Knotford Nook on 8th January.
	1999	A single bird landed in fields on the moor edge at Paul Clough on 3rd October. The bird, thought to be of the nominate race A.f.fabalis (Taiga Bean Goose), was watched for 10 to 15 minutes before flying off west.
	2005	A bird found with Greylag Geese on 9th January near Leeshaw Reservoir was present on and off until 2nd April (PC et al). This constitutes only the third Group record. The bird was assigned to the race A. f. rossicus (Tundra Bean Goose), which is considered by some authorities to constitute a separate species.
	2005	Photo: Bean Goose by Sean Grey
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons		Scarce autumn/winter visitor
		Seen occasionally during the period 1989 to 2008. Click for pdf file. Most recent sightings:
	2000	The Group’s first double-figure count was received from Kex Gill Quarry, when 24 were on the main pool on 2nd October before leaving south.
	2008	A bird was with Greylags at Leeshaw from 6th to 15th January.

		Photo: White-fronted Goose by Brain Vickers
SNOW GOOSE Anser caerulescens
		Birds of unknown origin were recorded at Chellow Dean Reservoir in 1993 and at Denton in 1994.
	1999	All 1999 records of this species came from Otley Gravel Pits, beginning on 23rd May, when a single Snow Goose was present there with the resident Canada Geese; this bird appears to have remained there until 30th. On 13th June, another (or the same) single bird was seen again with the Canada Geese and also in the compant of a Barnacle Goose. A white-phase bird seen on 9th July was joined by a blue-phase bird by 18th, both of these birds were present on 4th, 7th and 9th August, the latter date providing the year’s final sighting of this species.
BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis		Probable escapee and uncommon passage/winter visitor
		Seen most years from 1987 to 2008. Click for pdf file. Most recent sightings:
	2005	Single birds were seen at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 10th September, and flying east over Denholme Clough on 25th. Given the timing, this could have represented genuine migration, or it might have been the bird seen widely in this same general area in 2004.
	2006	Individuals were seen at Otley Wetland in mid-February, and at Warley Moor Reservoir on 25th June. Whilst probably not of genuine wild origin, they are given the benefit of the doubt, but a bird at Manningham Park throughout the year is clearly an escape.
	2007	What was probably the same individual, and almost certainly an escape, was seen in spring and autumn at the reservoirs at Ogden, Thornton Moor and Leeshaw.
	2008	What was probably the same feral bird was seen with Canada Geese at several locations.
	2009	The presumed feral bird was again seen at both ends of the year at Ogden Reservoir.
	2010	A bird at Otley Wetland on 29th November may have had wild origins, but one at Ogden Reservoir on 16th April was almost certainly the feral bird seen in previous years.
BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla		Scarce passage visitor
	1989	This is a rare species this far inland. One flew north-west at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 29th October, a day of heavy passage through the recording area.
	1991	On 9th March, a single on the water at Thornton Moor Reservoir was seen to leave to the east, while a party of four flew west over Stockbridge on 3rd November. In neither case was it possible to ascertain the race of the birds involved.
	1995	Five flew down the valley at Drebley on 13th November.
	1997	An excellent find was three birds in fields next to Lower Laithe Reservoir, unusually for this species (at least compared with previous sightings), they remained for 11 days from 2nd February.
	1998	A bird was seen amongst Mallards at Leeming Reservoir on 9th February. It was discovered in the morning, and gave good views at close range; however, it could not be relocated when the observer returned during the afternoon.
	1999	This was an excellent year by local Group standards for this small attractive goose, with four sightings in all, comprising eight birds. The first of the year’s sightings was of a single bird seen flying north over Bingley on 27th March, and was followed by two calling birds flying north-north-east at Lower Barden Reservoir on 27th April. In the second winter period, three birds dropped in high from the east-north-east at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 2nd October, only to continue straight through, low over the reservoir. Finally two birds were seen at Paul Clough on 12th October.
	2000	There was only two records of what ws possibly the same bird. An adult of the dark-bellied race B.b.bernicla was at Thruscross Reservoir from 5th to 16th March, and a single bird was present at Fewston Reservoir on 6th June.
	2009	Four birds which overflew Snaygill on 8th December provided the first record for eight years.
RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea		Scarce vagrant and possible escapee
	2009	A female with Greylag Geese at Lindley Wood on 6th January was one of the few recorded in the Group area, but could well have been an escape.
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Branta bernicla		Scarce visitor - possible escapee
	1987	A wandering individual was at Baildon Bridge on 27th May and a pair frequented Otley Gravel Pits between 4th June and 15th August.
	1990	A bird discovered at Elland Gravel Pits on 25th February stayed until 21st April.
	1991	A single at Leeshaw on 13th March.
	1996	One was recorded at Copgrove Lake on 30th March.
	1998	This unusual species was reported from Otley Gravel Pits on several dates between 30th March and 31st May. It was unringed, and was described as a ‘grey phase’ bird.
	2002	There were two records: a bird was at Otley Gravel Pits on 15th May and another at Doe Park Reservoir on 13th August.
	2003	On 4th January, one flew over Glovershaw, heading for Shipley Glen.
	2010	Three were seen at Otley Wetland on 3rd April (JF).