We're delighted to announce the return of our popular Goose Watch events at SOC's headquarters, Waterston House. As these events are always in high demand, we kindly ask that participants book either the evening talk on 6 October or the morning walk on 21 October, rather than both. This will help ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to take part. Further information about the morning walk, including a booking link, can be found here.

Evening talk: Tuesday 6 October, 5pm - 7.15pm

From early September, Pink-footed Geese start to return from their breeding grounds in Iceland and Greenland, and many will break their journey in East Lothian before heading further south to overwinter. The sight and sound of thousands of geese coming in to roost overnight in Aberlady Bay is a spectacle not to be missed, and is one of the autumn highlights of the reserve.

We'll start the evening with tea and coffee served from 5.00pm. This will be followed at 5.30pm by a highly informative and humorous talk by John Harrison, Warden of Aberlady Nature Reserve, lasting around an hour. John will give an insight into the ecology of Pink-footed Geese, share tips on how to identify them from other goose species found in the area, and explore how their numbers have changed over the past few years.

For those who wish to stay on a bit later, we'll move out onto the decking behind Waterston House to keep an eye out for any birds coming in for the evening. While this event has been timed to coincide with the peak in migration, nature can be unpredictable and varies year on year, so it'll be interesting to see how numbers compare to previous autumns. Binoculars and telescopes will be provided, but you may wish to bring your own. We aim to finish the event around 7.15pm.

Places are limited to 40 so book early to avoid disappointment!

Cancellations policy
SOC reserves the right to cancel or postpone any of its Goose Events due to unforeseen circumstances. In this scenario, a full refund will be given. We regret that if a participant cancels their booking, we are unable to offer a refund due to scheduling and resource commitments. However, if you are unable to attend, you are very welcome to transfer your booking to a friend or family member.

For directions to Waterston House, please visit our Getting Here and Opening Hours page.