El Grifo

I was shooting some twilight images in the south of Fuerteventura last week and was surprised to see a flight of 4 geese flying past in usual formation.
I have lived here for over 18 years and never witnessed such a thing.

I have no idea what particular species they were. Are geese normally found this far south ?

El G.

Jane-DoH

El Grifo

Good question

tony draper

Don't geese fly to Africa in the winter?

Storminnorm

Knackered compasses I think.

OFSO

Slight TD, but I was out on my terrace well after darkness had arrived last week, something very large flew past in the dark. Not a bat (we have large ones here but this was far larger) and not the Italian bruixa down the road as not on the ILS path to her house. I conjecture it was goose-size. But in the dark ?

There be stranger things out there, than we can imagine.

tony draper

Often hear Geese honking overhead in the dark,for some reason the sound frightens the life out of me dog,they are heading for me park lake I think,very popular with Canada Geese is me Park Lake,so they definitly dont mind flying at night.

uffington sb

It's the new ice age coming. Glaciers are growing, it's getting colder and critters are all heading south.

Spooky Weather. End of the world?

But according to the Met Office, the world's still getting hotter

El Grifo

I don't know, do they. I thought they preferred more northerly climes !

Encountered night flying geese loads of times in Scotland. When it was a misty or foggy night the poor blighters would circle in the dark honking for ages.

beaufort1

Gulls definitely fly at night, I've seen them lit up in the beams from local lighthouses.

El Grifo

F114's fly at night, but what about my bloomin' Fuerteventura, far-south Geese.

Normal or not normal, por favor

MagnusP

El Grifo, sure you weren't just drinking in the Goose and Firkin?

Lord Spandex Masher

I'd be very surprised to see F114 flying, day or night!

HMS Ajax (F114) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

El Grifo

Yep, a lot of people would be surprised to see an F114 flying at night.

Just about as surprised as I was to observe the "phalanx" of Geese.

Goose and Firkin no, Arehucas y Cola yes !

Ancient Observer

No, no, no,
the 114 goes from Ruislip to Harrow and then on to Mill Hill. It doesn't fly and it can't fly.
And if you got on it to go to lhr, just get off as you are on the wrong bus. Try the 140 next time.

Canardly

Perhaps they woz Cranes? Have lots of em fly over 'Grenouille Land' heading South about this time of year.

handsfree

Houbara bustard maybe ?

Houbara Bustard photo - Ray Purser Photography photos at pbase.com

60cm long 140cm wingspan, found in the Canaries.

Don't know if they fly in formation though.

houbara bustard in the Canaries: A guide to Birds in Spain

El Grifo

Nope they were geese, flying in geese-like formation and honking.

This is turning into a wild goose chase

G&T ice n slice

Well, round here the geese are a bit indecisive...

Last wednesday they were all flying south(ish)
then on thursday they were back flying north(ish)
on friday they came in low out of the sun flying east(ish)
They seem to have taken a day off on saturday
on sunday they were headed west(ish)
haven't seen them today.

El Grifo

Were any of them toting sunglasses and factor 20 did you notice ?

dead_pan

The Canaries are at the western fringe of the East Atlantic Flyway, one of the major migratory routes for birds. Some ducks to over-winter in west Africa, not sure about geese though - most tend to winter in more temperate climes in Europe. Its possible the ones you saw may have over-shot their destination, or perhaps escapees from a local aviculturalist?

If you could be more specific with the description and perhaps post a sound recording of you doing an impression of its call, I'll attempt an ID...