Barnacle Goose are seen regularly on spring migration past Skogsøy on their way from the Solway Firth to Svalbard.The vast majority pass somewhere between the end of April and the middle of May. When they do pass it is often in large numbers with several thousand passing within a few hours. Smaller numbers are seen in the autumn, usually later than the Brent Geese, but occasioanlly both species can be seen on the same seawatch.

As for many species of wildfowl the numbers seen at Skogsøy are a lot higher than at Utsira where this species is seen less regularly and in lowers numbers.

Many people attempt to see  what can be a spectacular migration; this is largely a matter of putting the hours in at the right time of year. However, to get the big numbers one does not have to be out early in the morning as the largest numbers often pass in the afternoon or evening. Completely illogically they often migrate past Øygarden in periods of strong headwinds.

The blue line shows number of visits, the orange one the number of visits when Barnacle Geese have been recorded and the green one shows the maximum numbers I have recorded in any three day period.

For further details click here

12th May 2005 (norwegian only) Pictures from 12 May

Picture in gallery

Video of migrating flock .mov format (Quick Time)

Number of Barnacle Geese observed at Skogsøy by week number. Source: artsobs

Maximum: 6700



References
Tveit, B.O., Mobakken, G. og Bryne, O. 2004 Fugler og fuglafolk på Utsira. Utsira Fuglestasjon
Website: Fugler i Hordaland - Skogsøy i Øygarden 


Links
Caerlaverock