Dolni Vestonice, South Moravia, Feb 3 (CTK) – Some 20,000 geese from the areas behind the Arctic Circle have found their winter habitat on the Nove Mlyny artificial lakes in south Moravia, which is about one-quarter more than last year, ornithologist Jiri Safranek has told CTK.
Ornithologists have even found the brant goose (Branta bernicla) in the locality near Breclav, which had been seen in the Czech Republic only fourteen times before.
Most of these water birds are greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) and bean geese (Anser fabalis), Safranek, from the Moravian Ornithological Association, added.
The Arctic geese will return home at the end of February or beginning of March.
Apart from the Nove mlyny reservoirs, they spend winter on the Lake Neusiedl on the Hungarian-Austrian border.
The Arctic geese create huge flocks attracting dozens of birds watchers to Nove mlyny.
The birds usually sleep on the water surface of the central reservoir and every morning, around 6:30, they flew to nearby fields to seek food.
“Birdwatching has become a popular hobby among wildlife fans in the Czech Republic as well. Millions of people devote their time to it in Western Europe and the United States,” Safranek said.
