What's going on?

[Kenn]

Have been some what bemused over the last week by some bird sightings.

A sole greylag was on the beach here for several days despite their being large flocks in the near vicinity and then on Sunday a single Whooper Swan was swimming about just off the shore line, again there are several groups of whoopers in the neighbourhood.

Are they just birds that have come down for a rest or in the case of the greylag could it be a hybrid as suggested by one birder?

[weedonald]

The death of a mate, maybe..

[Kenn]

Could apply to the swan weedonald as I understand they mate for life but am no sure about the geese.

[weedonald]

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/hidden-lives-ducks-geese.aspx

[chaz]

If anyone spys a lone missing lavender and white domestic duck between halkirk and thurso please send me a pm, think may have gone down river! Worth a try putting it on here.

[Kenn]

Thanks weedonald this birdwatching up here is a whole new experience for an incomer..but loving it ..have spotted some 20 new feathered friends over the last year.

[Cinders392]

Did anyone see the large flocks of swans and geese in the fields? I saw it yesterday and almost crashed the car. its such a lovely sight. The swans and geese together going about as they have dont for generations. I just love the sounds of the migrating geese. I wish I got a picture

[Kenn]

With the prevailing wind coming from the south/south west Cinders many birds have made it this far but have been unable to go further south and even today I spotted some skeins of geese coming across from Orkney during the lull between systems.
I have been seeing huge numbers of geese and whooper swans the last few weeks all over the county and in
Sutherland.
Have to agree it's a beautifull sight. there was a field full at Scrabster and another near Westfield today with close to a thousand geese,mostly greylags and i would say about 200 swans over the two sites.