Today, I had the rare opportunity of getting up close & personal with a TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE (Anser rossicus), feeding with a flock of 45 Greylag Geese at Rookwood Golf Course, Horsham (West Sussex), opposite Warnham LNR just off of the A24. Unlike some Tundra Bean Geese, this was a real 'classic', being markedly smaller than Greylag and reminiscent of Pink-footed Goose in size & structure. It had the short, stumpy bill characteristic of the species, the 'ginning' patch and short, thick neck. It did have extensive orange on the bill, but this feature is entirely variable, the bill-base being deep and the culmen somewhat concave.
Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) is much more Greylag Goose like, both in structure, size & gait; it has a much longer bill, a longer tail and a longer, narrower neck. The head colour is generally paler, contrasting less so with the dark neck, with generally more orange on the bill, some individuals being orange from base to tip.
An exhaustive selection of images follow. Enjoy.....
