Despite the lack of traditional snow here on the Dee this year we have seen a recent influx of wintering geese. This is no doubt in response to harsher weather even further north.
The star species amongst literally thousand of wintering geese are two tundra bean geese, the first ever modern day record on the Wirral.
These birds are not easy to distinguish as they hide amongst more than 1000 the pink-footed geese. Add to that the fact they often feed in muddy fields thus covering up their distinctive orange legs and their bill, it can be a bit of a needle in a haystack job.
As if these two bean geese weren't enough our small number of European white-fronted geese have rapidly increased their ranks form half a dozen to more than 50 again another record.
These 3 species of "wild" geese are feeding in fields surroundding Burton Mere Wetlands along with 1500 canada geese and a few (presumed feral) barnacle geese.
Your best chances of safely seeing them are to park at Burton Mere Wetlands and find out from the helpful staff and volunteers where they were last seen.
hope the bean geese will still be there when I get back from Devon mid month!