Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla - 300 past Sheringham on 21st October 2019.
Grey-bellied Brant Branta bernicla [nigricans?] - It was great to see this amazing goose again on New Year's Day 2020 having first seen it on Boxing Day 2018.
Grey-bellied Brant, Fring, 1st January 2020
Canada Goose Branta canadensis - Occasionally seen (up to 25) flying over or past at the meadows.
Canada Goose x Greylag Goose hybrid Branta canadensis x Anser anser - Given that I don't see many Greylag or Canada Geese at the meadows I did quite well to see a hybrid on two occasions (11th February and 24th August 2019), quite possibly both involving the same individual, both times seen flying with Canada Geese. Also one at Fairburn Ings on the way home from the Lakes.
Canada Goose (left) and Canada Goose x Greylag Goose hybrid (right), North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th August 2019
Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Fairburn Ings, 7th April 2019
Barnacle Goose Branta leucoptera - One flew over the meadows on 2nd May 2019. Further afield 2 presumed wild birds with Pink-feet at Fring on 1st January 2020 and in 2019, 85 at Burnham Overy, 12+ at Minsmere (Suffolk) and 60 at Derwentwater (Cumbria).
Greylag Goose Anser anser - The most frequently-recorded goose flying over the meadows though 30 on 28th September 2020 was unusual.
Greylag Goose x Swan Goose hybrid Anser anser x Anser cygnoides - One of a pair of "Greylag" Geese seen flying over the meadows in spring 2020 showed a dark nail which is not present on pure Greylag Geese. Such birds are normally presumed to be backcrossed hybrids with domestic Swan Goose. The other bird in the pair had a rather deep-based bill and a suggestion of a knob, so it appears that both birds were hybrids.
Greylag Goose x Swan Goose hybrids, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th March 2020
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus - Several records of birds flying over home including about 400 on 7th January 2019 and about 150 on 28th November 2020. Also several records over the meadows including 226 (in four flocks) on 2nd Janaury 2019. Elsewhere records included 3 lingering at Great Ryburgh on 17th April 2019 and 7 on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall) on 10th October 2020.
Pink-footed Geese, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd January 2019
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris - One at Choseley on 1st January 2020.
Tundra Bean Goose, Chosely, 1st January 2020
White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons - 18 at Lyng Easthaugh on 12th January, 2 over Stiffkey Fen on 16th October and 4 at Bittering on Christmas Day, all in 2020.
White-fronted Geese, Lyng Easthaugh, 12th January 2020
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus - An absolutely tiny goose was seen flying with 2 Greylag Geese on 26th April 2019 but way too distant to get anything on it at all. It was probably an escaped Lesser White-fronted Goose, perhaps the individual that was seen at various places around the county during the year, but with such poor views (and no telescope with me) I couldn't nail it.
Black Swan Cygnus atratus - One at Nosterfield (Yorkshire) on 31st December 2019.
Mute Swan Cygnus olor - Regularly seen in the valley below the meadows or in adjacent meadows.
Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus - 2 at St Benet's Abbey on 1st December 2019.
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus - One at Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire) on 7th April and 14 at St Benet's Abbey on 1st December 2019.
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca - Sometimes seen flying over the meadows or in adjacent farmland.
Egyptian Geese, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th January 2020
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna - One flew over the meadows on 9th May 2020, my only record there so far. Elsewhere records included 165 at Blakeney Harbour on 16th October 2020.
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - One at Gateley on 18th March and 19th April 2019.
Ruddy Shelduck (right, with Egyptian Goose), Gateley, 18th March 2019
Cape (South African) Shelduck Tadorna cana - only in captivity...
captive Cape (South African) Shelduck, Blakeney Collection, 16th October 2020
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