Snow Goose (LBRC)

Vagrant. North America. Frequent escapes from wildfowl collections probably cloud the true status.

 

 

       Snow Goose, left at Sutton Bridge on 30th October 2006 (Paul Sullivan); right, Short Ferry November 14th 2009, of unknown origin (Russell Hayes).

 

There are two subspecies, both of which have occurred in Europe. The nominate race, caerulescens, known as 'Lesser Snow Goose', breeds in NE Siberia, N Alaska and NW Canada and winters in S USA, N Mexico and Japan. It is smaller and slimmer than the heavier-billed 'Greater Snow Goose' atlanticus, which breeds from NW Greenland and NE Canada; this subspecies winters mainly along the Atlantic coast of NE USA between Maryland and N Carolina. Blue-phase birds occur commonly in nominate birds but very rarely in atlanticus. Blue-phase birds occur commonly in caerulescens but only very rarely in atlanticus.

In Britain there is a feral breeding population of perhaps up to 100 pairs, with a feral flock on the Inner Hebrides and other smaller feral flocks in Norfolk and Hampshire. In 2011 it was estimated that there were about 180 birds (combined numbers of wild, naturalised and other birds) at large in Britain from WeBS and county bird reports). Wild Snow Geese are most likely to occur at the traditional staging or wintering areas of Pink-footed Geese, Greenland White-fronted Geese or Whooper Swans. Birds considered to be genuine migrants are usually considered to be those occurring with carrier flocks of these species. Sifting out the likely vagrants from feral birds though is a perennial problem and it was dropped from the BBRC list in 1963!

The first record of a Snow Goose that may have been of wild origin was of one near Boston in 1942. Occurrences since have been almost annual from 1978 onwards. Most have involved birds at inland locations, either alone or with feral Greylag or Canada Geese when it is assumed that these birds are non-wild (right-hand photograph, above). Coastal records are less common, although interestingly most records from all areas have either been during the winter months or during April and May.

 

The first accepted modern record was of a bird seen in 2006/7 with Pink-footed Geese, A. brachyrhynchus. It was seen at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe on October 13th 2006 and what was presumed to be the same bird was later found at Sutton Bridge/ Nene Mouth October 26th-31st feeding with Pink-footed Geese. In 2007 one was seen near Frampton Marsh on January 6th and January 14th, 2007 flying with a Pink-footed Goose flock, presumed to be the same individual.

The second record of presumed wild birds occurred in the autumn of 2024 when two were seen arriving with Pink-footed Geese first of all at Barns Ness, Lothian, on September 19th, and then at Temple, Lothian on September 25th. These birds then moved south with Pink-footed Geese to the major staging area on the Humber where they were first seen flying east over Waters’ Edge Barton at 07:09, Oct 7th, with Pink-footed Geese leaving the Humber roost (GPC). The same evening, they returned to the roost on Redcliffe Middle Sand north of Read’s Island (WG) where they were found in the roost at first light on Oct 8th (TJL) and remained there to 09:30 before leaving with the Pink-feet to the east. They then commuted with the Pink-footed Geese to feeding areas in North Lincs returning to the Humber roost every evening to Oct 15th.

They then moved to North Norfolk at Holkham on Oct 16th but later were seen flying south-east over Huttoft (JS) and then SW offshore from Gibraltar Point in the evening of Oct 17th. Both birds were back with the Humber Pink-footed Geese feeding in fields near Immingham on Oct 20th (TJL) and were seen near Brocklesby Oct 21st-22nd and roosted on Redcliffe Middle to at least Nov 4th. They then took to moving into Yorkshire with the Pink-footed Geese and were not actually reported from the Lincolnshire side after Nov 4th although they stayed in the area into 2025. These seem likely to be the first wild birds recorded in the county since 2007.

 

Site	First date	Last date	Count	Notes
Boston area	31/01/1942		1
Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR	13/10/2006		1	Moved south with a Pink-footed Goose flock
Nene mouth, Sutton Bridge	26/10/2006	31/10/2006	1	Presumed same as that of October 13th 2006; feeding with Pink-footed Geese
Frampton Marsh	06/01/2007	14/01/2007	1	Presumed same as that of October 13th and 26th/27th 2006; with pink-footed Geese
Water's Edge CP	07/10/2024	15/10/2024	2
Huttoft	17/10/2024		2	Presumed same birds from Oct 7th, 2024
Gibraltar Point NNR	17/10/2024		2	Presumed same birds from Oct 7th, 2024
Immingham	20/10/2024		2	Feeding in fields; presumed same birds from Oct 7th, 2024
Brocklesby	21/10/2024	22/10/2024	2	Presumed same birds from Oct 7th, 2024
Redcliffe Middle Sand	Oct 2024	04/11/2024	2	Roosted most evenings with PF Geese until Nov 4th at least

 

(Account as per new Birds of Lincolnshire (2021), included September 2022)