White-fronted geese herald arrival of winter

The arrival in Britain of 12 white-fronted geese means wintry weather could be on its way, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

The species does not breed in the UK, but two races from Greenland and Siberia migrate to parts of Britain, including southern and eastern England, from October to March.

Some white-fronted geese have been spotted this week at the RSPB’s Pulborough Brooks nature reserve in West Sussex, indicating a cold weather front is coming.

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Pete Hughes, the reserve’s site manager, said: “Last year, we reported 115 – the highest number on record for West Sussex – so we’re wonderwing if we’ll get a repeat performance this winter.”

Another bird that indicates the impending arrival of colder weather is the goldcrest, which often arrives along with winter thrushes and woodcock.

Goldcrests are tiny, weighing about the same as a 20-pence piece, but they make the arduous journey across the North Sea, mainly from Scandinavia.

The bird earned the nickname “woodcock pilot” because of theories that it would hitch a ride in the woodcock’s plumage, emerging from their feathers only when on dry land.