more on that goose............

Re the Scaling Dam Red-breasted Goose, whilst the age is encouraging its behaviour and locality are quite incompatible with likely BBRC acceptance and it is clearly much less likely to be wild than the Nosterfield Nature Reserve bird of February 1998. That individual was originally accepted by the BBRC based on its sighting at Dormans Pool, Cleveland, on 7 January 98 (BB 92:563). Unfortunately, this was only seen by birders from outside of Cleveland. Some locals were so peeved that they (disgracefully) lobbied against the record and had it overturned. Had it been widely seen by Teesside birders, keen to add a new species to their county lists, this would undoubtedly not have happened and the Nosterfield bird would very likely have been accepted the following year. It had not been submitted in time to be accepted alongside the Dormans Pool sighting. Scaling Dam Reservoir has had numerous records of escaped waterfowl. During the last six years, Baikal Teal, Speckled Teal, Grey Teal, Wood Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-faced whistling Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose and Hooded Merganser have all been seen. It also has very small numbers of feral Pinkfeet and the occasional feral Barnacle Goose. Those that lobbied against the Dormans Pool (Nosterfield) bird might now be regretting that as they can hardly pursue the Scaling Dam bird which is obviously much less likely to be wild than the earlier bird. They have clearly been hoisted by their own petards!

Post from Dave Britton