Throughout the world there are several species of geese. Here in North America we have Brants, Snow, Canada and other sub species of geese. In other parts of the world they have Barnacle Geese, White Fronted and Bean Geese. Also there is another Bean Goose called the Tundra Bean Goose but it is a smaller bird. I'd like to take a little time speaking about the Bean Goose.
One place you will find the Bean Goose is on the Island of Foula. The location of Foula Island is to the farthest west of the Shetland Islands. Location maps often place The Shetland Islands in a box north of Scotland.
The Bean Goose is an uncommon and local winter visitor. The bird visits East Anglia and Southwest Scotland in the winter time. Once in a while the smaller and shorter-necked Tundra Bean Goose visits Suffolk in the winter.
When the nicer months of the year arrive the Bean Goose prefers to live in lands near rivers and in fields always near streams, creeks and ponds.
The Bean Goose is a good sized, dusky colored goose, standing from 30 to 36 inches tall as an adult. The color of their beak and legs is orange. The beak and legs of an immature Bean Goose are not as bright an orange.
The Bean Geese stayed mysterious over the years. Only a few people knew these birds existed and these people seem to be the local populace. Even Dr. Bernard Riviere who wrote "Birds of Norfolk," published in 1930 doesn't mention Bean Geese in his book. Evidently Dr. Bernard Riviere didn't know the Bean Geese wintered regularly in Suffolk.
One year a small number of Bean Geese with neck bands arrived near Rockland. After some investigation the local birders found that the Swedish wild life managers, neck banded these geese. Since the banding of these first geese yearly more geese arrive.
A key element in keeping Bean Geese in an area is the convenience of protected roosts near the feeding areas. The principal roosting site usually is tiny, well concealed or near a body of water surrounded by trees. The Bean Geese continually roost at Rockland because of protection and its location near the river.
At Buckenham RSPB Reserve birders often see Bean, white fronted and barnacle geese. The Bean Geese feed and warm themselves in the sunshine. Though the railroad is close by the Bean Geese ignore the passing trains. Bean Geese have frequented the Buckenham RSPB Reserve, to spend the winter months since the early 1920s. Each year the population changes. One year you can have only 200 to 300 birds and another year you could observe 5,000 birds.
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