With the harsh Scottish winter about to kick in,
the RSPB reserve at Loch of Strathbeg is gearing up for its final spectacular
sight of the year – the chance to see around 20,000 pink footed geese take
flight in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Wrapping up against the cold, intrepid bird
watchers, nature enthusiasts and members of the public will descend on the
stunning surroundings of the loch on Saturday, November 17, at 6am for the
chance to view the birds take off in a flock of thousands at dawn for the last
time this year.
The event is the culmination of the RSPB
centre’s continued hard work, with staff working tirelessly over the years to
make sure the birds are comfortable alongside the other natural wildlife that
flocks to the area.
Diana Spencer, Visitor Officer at the Loch of
Strathbeg reserve, said: "Over the past six to seven years, we have spent
over £1,000,000 on the habitat for the geese. We make sure that the vegetation
is right and we can artificially maintain the water levels to keep the geese
comfortable."
She added: "We have had eight watches this
year, held in the evening and in the morning, but the morning dawn ones are
incredibly spectacular. The sheer number of birds means that over 10,000 will
fly at the same time in the morning and, along with the dawn chorus, the chance
to see otters, owls and badgers means it is a great sight to see."
