Island geese population increase

Birdwatchers say they have counted the highest number of brent geese in Jersey for 20 years.

The Societe Jersiaise spotted more than 1,800 of the birds in one afternoon, compared to 1,556 recorded in 1988.

A total of 1,078 geese were counted on the island and another 760 were reported in the more sheltered end of Grouville Bay.

Sightings of about 20 of the rarer pale-bellied brent geese were also reported on the island.

The society says the increase could be a result of more Brent goslings surviving from arctic fox predators.

There are about 300,000 brent geese worldwide, 100,000 of which come to the UK every winter.

The birds migrate from Siberia to the UK.