Greenland White-fronted Geese have been marked at Loch Ken (Dumfries-shire), Stranraer (Galloway), Kintyre (Argyll) and on Islay (Argyll) as part of joint project by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The goal is to determine within-winter connectivity between feeding areas and roosting areas. In addition, location data will shed insights into migration strategies and the location of the breeding quarters in west Greenland. The large-scale movements of the tagged birds are summarised below. Movements of the tagged geese can be viewed on maps (opens a new page) by clicking on the season of interest (e.g. 2014/15) or on the tab marked 'here'.
Tags 20b (caught on Islay in 2014/15; see below) continued to give location data during the autumn 2016 migration. For a map of the movements of the geese click here (opens a new page).
- Tag20b. 15 Sept 2016. Tag20b settles in feeding fields just to the west of Borganes, Iceland.
- Tag20b. 13 Sep 2016. Tag20b leaves west Greenland and starts to cross the Greenland ice-cap. Arrives in west Iceland on 14 Sept at Noon
Tags 20b, 24 and 25 (caught on Islay in 2013/14; see below) continued to give location data during the autumn 2015 migration. For a map of the movements of the geese click here (opens a new page).
- Tag20b. 16 April 2016. Tag20b and Tag24 head north to farmland near Laugaras.
- Tag20b. 14 April. At 12h00 Tag20b heads further north to the Iceland mainland and meets up with his partner Tag24
- Tag20b. 12 April 2016. Tag20b makes landfall on the Westman Islands, southern Iceland, on at 22h00. A 48 hour sea crossing !
- Tag20b. 11 April 2016. At 18h30, both birds sit out stormy weather on the Ocean, setting off again at 07h00 the following morning.
- Tag20b. 10 April 2016. At 21h30, Tag20b and Tag24 head north west on spring migration. After heading out into the Atlantic, the birds get pushed south west by strong north easterly winds.
- Tag20b. Winter 2015/16. Tag20b spend the whole winter with its mate (Tag 24) on the Oa peninsula at the south end of Islay.
- Tag20b. 1 Nov 2015. After staging in Mull, Tag20b heads south and arrives on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag20b. 25 Oct 2015. Tag20b heads southeast, leaving the southern lowlands of Iceland, arriving in north Scotland.
- Tag20b. 9 Sept 2015. Tag20b arrives in north west Iceland.
- Tag20b. 21 Sep 2015. Tag20b leaves west Greenland and heads east over the Greenland ice-cap.
- Tag24. 16 April 2016. Tag20b and Tag24 head north to farmland near Laugaras.
- Tag24. 12 April 2016. Tag24 makes landfall on the south coast of Iceland having temporarily split up from its partner Tag20b
- Tag24. 11 April 2016. At 18h30, both birds sit out stormy weather on the Ocean, setting off again at 07h00 the following morning.
- Tag24. 10 April 2016. At 21h30, Tag24 and Tag20b head north west on spring migration. After heading out into the Atlantic, the birds get pushed south west by strong north easterly winds.
- Tag24. Winter 2015/16. Tag24 spend the whole winter with its mate (Tag 20b) on the Oa peninsula at the south end of Islay.
- Tag24. 1 Nov 2015. After staging in Mull, Tag24 heads south and arrives on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag24. 25 Oct 25. Tag24 heads west towards Inverness (Scotland).
- Tag24. 24 Oct 2015. Tag24 heads southeast, leaving the southern lowlands of Iceland, but overshoots north east Scotland.
- Tag24. 29 Sept 2015. Tag24 arrives in north east Iceland.
- Tag24. 21 Sept 2015. Tag24 leaves west Greenland and heads east over the Greenland ice-cap.
- Tag25. 30 Oct 2015. Last signal received from Tag25 on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag25. 25 Oct 2015. Tag25 arrives on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag25. 24 Oct 2015. After just over a month, Tag25 heads southeast, leaving the southern lowlands of Iceland, and heads for north Scotland.
- Tag25. 15 Sept 2015. Tag25 arrives in southern Iceland.
- Tag25. 13 Sept 2015. Tag25 leaves west Greenland and heads east over the Greenland ice-cap.
Tag20a (caught on Islay in 2013/14; see below) continued to give location data on the first part of the autumn migration. Four geese were caught on Islay in November 2014 and three geese were marked near Stranraer (Scotland) in December 2014. For a map of the movements of the geese click here (opens a new page).
- Tag20a. 3 Oct 2014. Tag20a arrives in the southern lowlands of Iceland, but dies a few days later (probably shot). The GPS tag is retrieved and is kindly posted back to Scotland by Arnor Sigfusson to be deployed again (see below Tag20b).
- Tag20a. 13 Sept 2014. Tag20a arrives in north Iceland and makes a leisurely journey south to the southern lowlands.
- Tag20a. 11 Sep 2014. Tag20a leaves west Greenland and begins its autumn migration crossing the Greenland ice cap.
- Tag20b. 12 May 2015. Tag20b arrives on the breeding grounds in west Greenland.
- Tag20b. 11 May 2015. Tag20b heads west from southern Iceland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag20b. 17 Apr 2015. tag20b head north from Islay on spring migration to Iceland.
- Tag20b. Nov-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag20b. 20 Nov 2014. Re-deployed tag (see tag20a above) used on a new bird caught at Cornabus, Islay (an adult male; metal ring 1372684).
- Tag23. 10 May 2015. Last signal received from Tag23 in west Iceland.
- Tag23. 9 May 2015. Tag23 heads west from southern Iceland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag23. 10 Apr 2015. Tag23 leaves Islay on spring migration heading north over the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and on to Iceland.
- Tag23. Nov-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag23. 20 Nov 2014. Caught at Cornabus, Islay (an adult male; metal ring 1372685).
- Tag24. 11 May 2015. Tag24 arrives on the breeding grounds in west Greenland.
- Tag24. 10 May 2015. Tag24 heads west from southern Iceland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag24. 17 Apr 2015. Tag24 leaves Islay on spring migration heading north over the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and on to Iceland.
- Tag24. Nov-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag24. 20 Nov 2014. Caught at Cornabus, Islay (an adult female; metal ring 1372686).
- Tag25. 6 May 2015. Tag25 arrives on the breeding grounds in west Greenland.
- Tag25. 4 May 2015. Tag25 heads west from southern Iceland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag25. 9 Apr 2015. Tag25 arrives in the southern lowlands of Iceland.
- Tag25. 8 Apr 2015. Tag25 leaves Islay on spring migration heading north over the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and on to Iceland.
- Tag25. Nov-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag25. 11 Nov 2014. Caught near Bowmore, Islay (an adult female; metal ring 1372682).
- Tag26. 13 Apr 2015. Last signal received from Tag26 on Baleshare, North Uist (Scotland).
- Tag26. 8 Apr 2015. Tag26 heads north on spring migration, staging in the Uists (Scotland).
- Tag26 Dec-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag26. 16 Dec 2014. Caught near West Freugh, Stranraer (Scotland) (an adult female; metal ring 1372553).
- Tag27. 8 Apr 2015. Last signal received from Tag27 near West Freugh, Stranraer (Scotland).
- Tag27. Dec-Apr 2015. Remains near capture site making daily movements from the roost to feeding areas.
- Tag27. 16 Dec 2014. Caught near West Freugh, Stranraer (Scotland) (an adult male; metal ring 1372554).
- Tag28.19 Dec 2014. Last signal received from Tag28 near West Freugh, Stranraer (Scotland).
- Tag28. 16 Dec 2014. Caught near West Freugh, Stranraer (Scotland) (an adult male; metal ring 1372555).
Tag04 (caught on Islay in 2012/13; see below) continued to give location data on the first part of the autumn migration. A new goose (Tag20a) was marked in on Islay in January 2014. For a map of the movements of the geese, click here (opens a new page)
- Tag20a.3 May 2014. After crossing the Greenland ice cap, Tag20a arrives on the breeding grounds in west Greenland.
- Tag20a. 2 May 2014. Tag20a heads north west from Iceland towards Greenland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag20a. 11 Apr 2014. Tag20a heads north on spring migration to the southern lowlands of Iceland.
- Tag20a. 10 Apr 2014. From mid January to early April, Tag20a remains on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag20a. 15 Jan 2014. Caught at Grulinbeg, Islay (an adult male; metal ring 1372661).
- Tag04.19 Oct 2013. Last signal received from Tag04 in southern Iceland.
- Tag04. 16 Sep 2013. Tag04 arrives in the southern lowlands of Iceland.
- Tag04. 15 Sep 2013. Tag04 leaves the summering grounds in west Greenland and heads east over the Greenland Iceland cap.
Two geese were marked on Islay in December 2012 and another at Loch Ken, Dumfries & Galloway in March 2013. For a map of the movements of the geese, click here (open a new page).
- Tag09. 6 May 2013. Last signal received from Tag09 in southern Iceland.
- Tag09. 13 Apr 2013. Tag09 heads north on spring migration to the southern lowlands of Iceland.
- Tag09. 12 Apr 2013. From early March to early April, Tag09 remains close to the site of capture at Loch Ken (Scotland)
- Tag09. 3 Mar 2013. Caught at Loch Ken, Dumfries & Galloway (Scotland). An adult male.
- Tag04. 10 May 2013. After a three day journey, and crossing the Greenland ice cap, Tag04 arrives on the breeding grounds in west Greenland.
- Tag04. 7 May 2013. Tag04 heads north west from Iceland towards Greenland on the next stage of its spring migration.
- Tag04. 20 Apr 2013. Tag04 heads north on spring migration to the southern lowlands of Iceland
- Tag04. 19 Apr 2013. From mid December to mid April, Tag04 remains on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag04. 12 Dec 2012. Caught at Ballinaby, Islay (Scotland). An adult male.
- Tag01.4 May 2013. Last signal received from Tag01 in southern Iceland.
- Tag01. 9 Apr 2013. Tag01 heads north on spring migration to the southern lowlands of Iceland.
- Tag01. 8 Apr 2013. From mid December to early April, Tag01 remains on Islay (Scotland).
- Tag01. 12 Dec 2012. Caught at Ballinaby, Islay (Scotland). An adult male.
WWT/SNH are extremely grateful for the support give during fieldwork on Islay by RSPB Scotland, David Wood, Malcolm Ogilvie, David Beaumont, Ian Brook, Peter and Pia Roberts and Christine Urquhart.
Data and map may not be used without prior written consent of WWT/SNH.
© WWT 2016-2020