Down here in Thetford, we have an annual goose round up and ringing (and wrestling) session when all the geese are moulting and then can't fly. In the last couple of years we have been putting orange neck collars (each with a unique code) on birds too so that these can be read in the field without having to recatch them, and although the furthest one of our birds has gone so far is 21km, a few birds ringed up on the Broads at Hickling have ventured down the Suffolk coast to Minsmere and Havergate Island, so they do get about more than we realise.
The BTO ringing scheme website provides some interesting details: http://blx1.bto.org/ring/countyrec/resultsall/rec1660all.htm
There is an interesting series of records of birds ringed in Sussex moving to the Highlands of Scotland and back again. Maybe their migratory instincts are still there?
Ringing also provides data on how long birds live which, combined with nest records, help provide indicators of population growth or decline.
If you can read the ring and report the number the data on record will increase in value enormously
Coming home today through Painswick Park Wythenshawe,Of all the Canada Geese One was ringed.Why Do the ring Canada Geese,How far do these Geese roam? I was under the illusion that they always stay local as they were introduced to this country,
