Since October 2011, 50 Taiga Bean Geese have been caught and ringed at Slamannan. Twenty-two have been fitted with GPS tags and the remainder have been fitted with grey plastic neck collars to aid our understanding of the movements of the geese (see also 'Ringing' page). The GPS data has led to our understanding of the spring and autumn migration routes the geese take to their breeding quarters and the key staging (or 'stop-over') sites that they use quarters of the Scottish Bean Goose flock (Figure 1). The geese appear to take two distinct routes to their breeding grounds in Dalarna County (Sweden); after crossing the North Sea and staging in NW Jutland (Denmark), the geese either head through Saffle (Sweden) or through Akershus (Norway). The return autumn migration follows similar routes.

BGAG have been in touch with nature conservation agencies in Denmark, Norway and Sweden to highlight the sites used by the Taiga Bean Geese in order to aid their conservation.

BGAG are extremely grateful for the support given during fieldwork by Charlie Howe (Clyde Ringing Group), James Leonard, Allison Leonard and Denise Veitch. Permission to catch the geese at Slamannan was kindly granted by the landowners. BGAG are also grateful to the many observers who have kindly provided sightings of the marked geese, in particular Simon Rix, Tony Fox, Ketil Knudsen, Alan Leitch, Colin Bushell, Dan Mangsbo, Einar Flensted-Jensen, Eva Johansson, Egil Ween, Frank Abrahamson, Jostein B.Engdal, John Nadin, Johan Södercrantz, Jimmy Steele, Kalle Källebrink, Keld Ørum Jensen, Lars-Göran Hansson, Martin Scott, Odd Rygh, Richard King, Stuart Green, Svalan, Thomas Heinicke, Torbjörn Jansson and Thomas Ring.

Page updated 23/08/2026