When the bean geese leave Scotland in late February the work then starts to collate all the available data recorded during the winter when they are here.
There is data to be collated for a Commissioned Report for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on the roosting locations that the bean geese have used during the past winter. This work includes ageing the juveniles within the flock. This a continuation of monitoring work commenced in 2010/11. (Commissioned Report No 487)
I am greatly indebted to Brian Minshull of BCM Environmental Services Ltd (BCMESL) who collects all the raw data and produces the report.
The voluntary monitoring of the flock which I undertake for Falkirk & North Lanarkshire Councils and the Central Scotland Forest Trust also requires collecting the available field records and putting together a series of notes to assist with the publishing of this data in an annual report.
I am grateful to Toby Wilson of the RSPB who edits and prepares the report for publication.
The project with Slamannan and Greengairs Primary Schools continues unabated and there is publicity event being arranged for Wednesday 29th May at Slamannan Primary School. This projects includes SNH and the RSPB who have been working with the children this last two years on the 'science' of bean geese wintering in their local area and now looking at the migration data received from the GPS collars on the four bean geese caught last autumn. I look forward to see what they have been doing in recent times.
