PHILIPPONA J (1985) The Noordoostpolder as a haunt for wintering geese. LIMOSA 58 (1): 1-6.

The Noordoostpolder (one of the IJsselmeerpolders) was reclaimed in 1942. During the first years extensive marshes and ponds with shallow water were present. Afterwards the polder was developed. Nowadays it mainly exists of arable land and to a lesser degree of pastures. Observations of geese have been made in the period 1964-84. Four species of geese occur regular. Favourable circumstances in the polder are: the presence of roosting sites (Steile Bank and Zwarte Meer) just outside the polder. Much food is available both on grassland (short grass on grazed pastures and long grass on newly-sown land and on stubblefields) and on arable land (waste of sugarbeets, winterwheat among others). Numbers of geese are often large during cold spells, when feeding can easily be done on lang grass and waste of sugarbeets on snow covered fields. The Greylag Goose mainly occurs in the southeastern part of the polder. The species feeds predominantlyon arable land in autumn and early winter. Grassland is important at the end of the winter. Numbers are mostly between many tens and several hundreds. The maximum number was 1000. Although the Greylag is not a real winter bird, small numbers stay over in mild winters. The White-fronted Goose can be met in the west and in the southeast of the area. Largest numbers occur mostly in the west. Numbers have risen recently. Whitefronts feed mostly on grassland. The species occurs during December-February, in the southeast sometimes also in March. The Bean Goose occurs in the same parts of the polder as the White-fronted, mostly feeding on arable land. Numbers in the west are often much larger than in the southeast. Numbers have also increased. The Bean Goose arrives in the same period as the Whitefront, but leaves somewhat earlier. Birds belong to the tundra race rossicus. The taiga race fabalis visits the polder in hard winters in small numbers. The Barnacle Goose is more or less restricted to the west of the polder. Their numbers have risen too. The Barnacle mainly feeds on short grass pastures. Flock composition varies among the species, Whitefront and Barnacle being most often seen in multi-species flocks (fig. 3). Greylag Goose Anser anser Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus = Anser fabalis brachyrhynchus Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus Black Brant # Brent Goose Branta nigricans # Branta bernicla nigricans Pale-bellied Brent Goose Branta hrota = Branta bernicla hrota

[free pdf] [dutch summary]