Viewing

Seeing the Slamannan Plateau Taiga Bean Geese

The Taiga Bean Geese utilise the Slamananan Plateau between late-September and early February each winter.

However, they are notoriously difficult to locate and as such it is invariably very hard to achieve good views.

During the day the birds tend to be in flocks hidden within the Slamannan Plateau landscape to minimise disturbance whilst they are feeding or resting.

As there are few roads through the area involved and as the geese are not necessarily well-liked by the local farmers, birdwatchers will both struggle to find safe places from which to view and potentially not be made to feel very welcome.

As such, do not:

Disturb the birds as they are extremely wary and will fly off; or,

Under any circumstances, leave the minor roads / enter fields.

The following is in part based on the Slamannan Plateau entry on the excellent Where to Watch Birds in Scotland App. (see https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app) which is thoroughly recommended for further such information about this and indeed other sites throughout Scotland.

Given the above, three locations are recommended for viewing:

1. NS 80236 73786. The lay-by on Fannyside Road can be the safest and easiest place to see the taiga bean geese, as they fly to or from the roost site at the Fannyside Lochs and the adjacent Fannyside Muir at dusk / dawn. Look and listen for birds arriving / leaving (often in dark); knowing the calls of geese species is essential.

2. NS 82705 71952. Find an appropriate and safe place to park (e.g., the track entrance to Shieldknowes Farm, WITHOUT blocking the track) and walk west to view the fields north of the road, where taiga bean geese occur occasionally (these fields were traditionally favoured on their return in the autumn, but more recently no longer guaranteed). Do not park in the entrance to Luckenburn Farm itself.

3. NS 85134 72933. Park off the road in the small car-parking area next to the changing rooms adjacent to the sport pitches in Slamannan. Scanning north and north-east from here can, with persistence and care, provide very distant views of taiga bean geese.

Wheelchair accessibility note: at the sports pitches car-park in Slamannan and the Fannyside Road lay-by parking is accessible for wheelchair users, but other locations are more difficult due to parking limitations.

The following blog site may provide some contemporary information about where the geese can be seen http://beangoose.blogspot.com/.

Other species joining the geese can include Barnacle, Greenland White-fronted and Pink-footed Geese also occur in the area.

If flocks of Taiga Bean Geese are successfully located on the plateau, the Bean Goose Monitoring Officer, Angus Maciver (angus.maciver184"@"gmail.com - remove quotation marks ) would welcome details including date, time, number of birds and field location involved (ideally using ‘pin’ dropped into a Google or Bing Maps aerial view screengrab), any accompanying other geese species, any details of marked (neck-collared or colour-ringed birds), etc..

Finally, should further help regarding locating the birds be required it is suggested that you contact Brian Minshull (BCMinshull"@"hotmail.co.uk - remove quotation marks) who may be able to provide advice and guidance.