Record numbers of Pink-feet at Lancashire WWT reserve

A record number of at least 45,800 Pink-footed Geese have arrived at Lancashire's Martin Mere WWT (Wildfowl and Wetland Trust), counts have revealed.

This beats the previous record of 36,000 in 2010. Over the next couple of weeks, numbers will continue to increase as more of these birds make the 500-mile journey from Iceland to spend the start of winter in Lancashire. The geese will ultimately winter to the south and east, particularly in Northumberland and Norfolk, after using the North-West as a 'service station' to rest and re-fuel for up to three weeks, before continuing their journey.

Pink-footed Goose, Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire (Photo: Maxwell Law)

Martin Mere Reserve Manager, Tom Clare, said: "This has been one of my most memorable moments at Martin Mere. As I looked out this morning, the two marshes were completely covered in geese. I waited to see them take off which is one of the greatest sights in nature. October is one of the best times of the year to visit the reserve, as it is amazing to see the geese fly in to roost during the afternoon."

The arrival of Pink-footed Geese is an incredible journey that is one of the highlights of migration. Britain provides perfect sheltered conditions for birds to find a winter sanctuary, so over the next few months, Wetland Centres like Martin Mere WWT will become 'avian airports', welcoming tens of thousands of migratory birds, mainly from the Arctic. Birds that arrived in spring to raise their young are already heading south to overwinter in insect-rich Africa.

Whooper Swan, Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire (Photo: Mike Orritt)

Double figures of Whooper Swans have also already arrived at the reserve, and more are expected on a daily basis through October. WWT reserves are well known for their wildfowl spectacles and accommodate early morning visits to see thousands of Pink-footed Geese flying overhead to and from their roosts and feeding areas and watch thousands of Whooper and Bewick's Swans fly in to roost, too, particularly at Martin Mere, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, and Welney, Norfolk.