An innovative new scheme is being launched this autumn in Chichester Harbour to help protect the migrating flocks of Brent Geese. Called ‘Goose Watch’, volunteers are being recruited to help monitor the movement of the Geese over the coming months.

Last winter, a peak of over 12,000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese visited Chichester Harbour, making the area internationally important for this species with about 5% of the population. The Geese are easily identified by their ‘cackling’ sound as they fly overhead in their favourite ‘wavy’ formation or form groups plodding over the mudflats on their sturdy webbed feet. In the daytime the Geese will often move inland and can be seen grazing on fields.

They favour crops such as wheat, oil-seed rape as well as grassland. This can be a problem for arable farmers. Keeping track of their movements as they look for new grazing land can be a bit of a headache for Conservation Officer, Ed Rowsell. Ed says, ‘Each year we try to build up a picture of where the Geese go, which fields they use and how many visit Chichester Harbour. Over the years we developed an understanding of how the Geese use the harbour and the surrounding fields in the AONB. It is my task to try and track them down.’

To help with this important work, a new scheme called ‘Goose Watch’ has been launched. Five keen volunteers have already signed up but lots more are needed.  Under the scheme local volunteers will be allocated a sector within which to monitor the geese on a fortnightly basis. Reports will then be fed back to the Harbour Office to help the Conservancy build up a much better informed picture of the habits of these special winter visitors.

Anyone interested in joining ‘Goose Watch’ should contact Ed Rowsell at the Harbour Office 01243 510985. No birdwatching experience is necessary as training, maps and recording forms will all be provided.