Snow Goose - all records

1987 - 3 Cosheston 27 Jan (JBC), presumed, though not certainly, of "feral" origin.

1990 - 3 Skokholm and the Gann 16 Mar

1991 - 5 seen flying over the Gann and Skokholm on 14 April

2000 - 1 Blue morph among the Teifi Valley Canada Geese 17 Sept.

2002 - All records probably relate to feral birds originating at Skokholm, viz : 1st w Gann 5 Feb, 3 winged imms and a flightless ad Skokholm Mar – Nov, the imms visiting Skomer 25 May, 1, 3, 7, 13 June and 20 Nov, one with Canada Goose flock Llangwm late Nov – Dec.

2003 - All records probably relate to feral birds originating at Skokholm, ranged widely across the County during the year but not always together.

2004 - Three were recorded in the mid Pembs area, once as far out as Grassholm, throughout the year but they were not always together. Usually associated with Canada Geese, one paired w h that species at Middleholm in May.

2005 - All records probably relate to feral birds originating at Skokholm, ranged widely across the county during the year, but not always together.

2006 - All records probably relate to feral birds, originating at Skokholm, ranging widely across the County during the year but not always together, being seen in many places from St David’s to W Cleddau, including Skokholm and Skomer

2007 - All records probably relate to the feral birds which range between the Cleddau and Marloes area.  One present on Skokholm was found sitting on a nest with 5 eggs, none of which hatched. 

2008 - All records were of singles unless stated: at Lawrenny 10th Jan , Hook 5th Feb , Skomer 1st — 3rd Aug., Jordanston 25th Sept, Marloes 25th March then another 1 from 25th Dec until end of year. Two Nevern Est on 2f Sept. which then probably moved to the Teifi Est from 28th Sept until 5th November.

2009 - A single at Marloes Mere from 1st Jan. until 24th Mar., another at Little Milford from 7th May until 9th Sept., then at the Gann from 26th Sept until the 8th Oct. Quite probably all three records relate to the same bird. Two were on the Teifi all year.

2010 - As in 2009, two were on the Teifi all year apart from when they relocated to Newport for a couple of days in late September, when they picked up another bird which bore a coloured ring. A single bird on the Webs count at Hook in January and the resident at Marloes Mere were the only other records.

2011 - Two in the Teifi Canada flock, present on the Teifi throughout the year (also seen at Nevern Estuary) and one at Llys y fran Res. on 8th Mar.

Source: Extracted from the Pembrokeshire Bird Reports for these years.

2018 Skomer 24 June - Skomer report?

Snow Goose - 2015 Skokholm

Rare.  Three records prior to 2000 when a small feral population established on Skokholm

One on North Plain on the evening of 5th April 2015 was the first since 2010 (HD et al.).

In June 2000 four pinioned birds reached Skokholm, three of the emaciated individuals making it to the plateau where they were fed. The following year two of the birds paired and produced four free-flying offspring. One of the adults and three of the young survived to 2003 and the three young were regularly seen with Canada Geese around the Marloes Peninsula in 2004.

Two birds were seen in 2005, 2006 and 2007, with one pairing with a Canada Goose in the latter year and producing [5] infertile eggs. A single was logged in 2008, 2009 and 2010, again pairing unsuccessfully with a Canada Goose in the latter two years.

The other Skokholm records are three immatures on 13 June 1971, a Slimbridge ringed bird on 9th May 1975 and five white adults north with four Barnacle Geese on 15th April 1991.

Skokholm Bird Observatory Annual Report 2015 (Richard Brown & Giselle Eagle)

Snow Goose - 1994

 Feral visitor

Three were seen at Skokholm on 12 June 1971, three at Cosheston on 27 January 1987 and five at both Skokholm and the Gann on 14 April 1991. They are presumed to have been escapes from the feral populations which are now established elsewhere, for example in Hampshire.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire