The geese cloud is approaching!

The wild geese cloud approaching to the feeding ground. These Barnacle geese are feeding and training on the fields of Southern Finland before dispatching to the Netherlands for wintering. 

Even thought the summer is officially over in Finland - look at those dark clouds at the background and 15 centigrades in the midday - Barnacle geese are still with us. They will keep feeding and training till the mid-October. 

The unusual guests at the backyard

The massive launch

This video was taken in Helsinki at the sunset. Geese were feeding peacefully on the cleaned cereals field when suddenly the entire flock went off the ground. Too bad I did not have a better camera with me...

And this massive wild geese takeoff was filmed the day after

And the landing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8JRCewEP_A

Massive geese flocks

I found the pictures of the massive geese flocks that are share by Hezu at Panoramio

The night flight

Landings of Branta leucopsis

I feel that I started to lovee their landing more that somewhat heavy liftings. Very gracious in my opinion.

Flight acrobatics

Today I saw one playful goose that was perhaps showing off in front of the mate. His/er pirouettes were too fast for my amateur camera, unfortunately

Barnacle Goose on the snow

This is what we never see here in Finland. Branta leucopsis on the snow

 In the "continental" Europe I would guess it is a rather common scenery. Thanks to Jan Sevcik for these wonderful photos

Emergency lifting

Geese had to escape rapidly because of the approaching bicycle

The newer Finnish-Netherlands population of Branta leucopsis are thought to be descendants of the larger population of Novaya Zemlja. Though new (from 1975) this population is above 8,000 birds and counts

Geese fields

I think that the presence of the Barnacle geese benefits also the smaller birds (as below). The larger birds serve as a deterrent for the predators

Small invaders

Geese and cows

Barnacle geese are, perhaps, the disturbing neighbors. But rather phlegmatic local cows do not seem to mind

Barnacle Goose musical slideshow

The theme is Vivaldi's Concerto For Mandolin & Orchestra In C Major : Allegro 

Brave goose

The geese coming to Helsinki are rather habitual to humans. Even to the ones with big balls ;)

Geese are back...

The Barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) have arrived in masses to Southern Finland from Lapland on 12th of August 2011. The smaller flocks were around starting from the early days of the month. They are to stay till the late October to prepare for the long flight across the Baltic sea

The bird is a medium size: 66-75 cm long, wingspan 125 cm and weight of 1.1 to 2.3 kg

Wild geese in Viikki, Helsinki

They can live up to 28 years

Branta leucopsis at Suomenlinna Island  (by D100a)

The sounds they produce resemble barking. You can hear it at IBC.

Run Forest, run (by Kallerna)