Where can I watch geese flying overhead? In England (1 Viewer)

[Billy W]

Hi everybody - this is my first post.

I'm not a birdwatcher, but I do love birds, and I joined this forum just to ask one question. Here goes:

There's one thing that, more than anything else in the World, fills me with joy, and that's watching geese flying in formation. If by some lucky chance they fly right overhead, it's even better. Every now and then (very rarely - once every couple of years or so) I'll hear that distinctive sound of several geese gabbling away at one another, and I'll rush out of the house in the hope of seeing them, and if I do, it's just the most wonderful experience. I live just outside Worcester, UK, and like I said, this rarely happens. So if I wanted to go for a couple of days away, to somewhere in England, where I'd see this happening often, where should I go, and at what time of the year?

I should stress that I'm not interested much in those great mudflats where you see hundreds coming into land, just somewhere where they often fly over in formation, so it could be somewhere on the coast or somewhere inland. Perhaps it should be somewhere on their migration routes, but I'm not sure. Just somewhere where I can rent a B & B for a couple of days and watch the skies for geese. Thanks.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

 

[Lisa W]

Hi Billy, welcome to the forum on behalf of the staff and moderators. I think you will find us a friendly and helpful group. I’m going to move your post to the information wanted area where, hopefully, you will get some replies. I’m also going to change your title slightly to include England in it.

 

[dandsblair]

Perhaps the closet place to you with thousands of Geese coming in to the area by the River Severn each day from (Oct to March)near WWT Slimbridge, from late Oct you also get swans coming and going in reasonable number.
WWT have accommodation on site or stay nearby

 

[tehri]

Barnacle Goose - BirdForum Opus
😉

 

[foresttwitcher]

First light in autumn at Snettisham, Norfolk, for flights of Pink-footed Geese.

 

[Stripes]

I don’t know if they do it every year but this past week or so we’ve had loads flying over new milton / Milford on sea late afternoon / early evening and you’re right - I find it such a joyful experience too! I’ve been out with my camera every time I hear them - good luck

 

[Hotspur]

Sadly Worcester isn't the goosiest part of the country. Pink-footed Goose is the most numerous species in the UK and places along the east coast get huge numbers, especially stop overs like Loch Leven in Fife in mid-autumn. Around the Wash in winter as well as in the Hickling Broad and Holkham areas of Norfolk, big numbers should be seen. The Solway Firth holds huge numbers of Barnacle Geese, particularly at Caerlaverock WWT. Close to you, there are small numbers of feral Barnacle Geese at Slimbridge as well as some White-fronted Geese but if you want the full experience of 20k plus, I'd recommend Norfolk. The Northumberland coast also hosts lots of Pinks and I've seen 10k plus commuting in Druridge Bay.

 

[Earnest lad]

I recall a winter trip to Norfolk several years ago. In the mornings one would see lots of flights of Pink-footed Geese as they left their coastal roosts on their way to inland feeding grounds (sometimes these feeding grounds are many many miles away). Presumably one would see the flights of the same birds in reverse at the end of each day as the birds return to their roosts.

 

[Georgebirds]

Norfolk is always the best for me, I see the afternoon/early-evening return flights as I'm never there for the early mornings.
Anywhere from Snettisham in the Wash, at least as far round as Wells Next the Sea, and probably no problem with the eastern half of Norfolk either, but I don't travel that far out. Not so many in the Fens, I do see them nearer home occasionally, but over Norfolk I'd be more surprised not to see them on any day out through the winter, they're that regular. Holkham estate has a lot of flyovers, as does Holme, and further inland's fine too - yesterday I saw a couple of V's of pink-footeds over Dersingham, which is the other side of the road from Sandringham.