"What's with all the Geese going back and forth over the town Steve?"

I'm asked that question every day at the moment, so here's the answer.

The Geese in question are Canada geese, introduced to the UK about 300 years ago from

north America. There are now about 50,000 breeding pares in the UK and in autumn they head south to escape the colder north to inhabit tidal estuaries that have flooded water meadows where they are reasonably safe from predators such as foxes and they eat grass and seeds such as wheat, left over from crops grown by farmers. This year their numbers have increased greatly here in the Ouse valley due to the extra rain and flooding and generally they spend the night south of Lewes and during the day and to the north of town during the day.

However, since new footpaths have been made and improved up and down the river, there is a huge increase in folk jogging, cycling and taking their dogs for a walk in the mornings and evenings, the poor geese are up and down like fiddlers elbows unable to settle as perhaps they would in places like they would the rest of the year such as giant estuaries like the Solway but at least here there aren't humans shooting them for so called sport of to eat. Do spare a thought for these beautiful creatures and enjoy the spectacle, yesterday I counted roughly 900 of them going over my flat in court road between 5.30pm and 7pm, bye for now, Steve.