The Snow Goose is a scarce and intriguing visitor to Britain, with a complex history that often blurs the line between wild origin and escape. The first Lincolnshire record thought possibly to involve a wild bird dates back to 1942, when one was reported near Boston. Since 1978, occurrences have been almost annual, though the majority have involved inland birds associating with feral Greylag or Canada Geese, and these are generally assumed to be of non-wild origin.

Coastal records are much less frequent. Interestingly, however, most Snow Goose records, both inland and coastal, have occurred during the winter months or in April and May, aligning with periods of wild goose movement.

A notable accepted record occurred during 2006–07, when a Snow Goose was seen accompanying Pink-footed Geese. The bird was first recorded at Saltfleetby–Theddlethorpe on 13 October 2006 and was later presumed to be the same individual found feeding with Pink-footed Geese at Sutton Bridge / Nene Mouth between 26–31 October. In January 2007, a Snow Goose was again recorded near Frampton Marsh on 6th and 14th January, flying with a flock of Pink-footed Geese, almost certainly the same bird.

Excitement therefore ran high in Lincolnshire when, on Christmas Eve 2025, a white-morph adult Snow Goose was discovered at Tongue End by Josh Jones, in a field between Counter Drain Drove and Shillaker’s Farm. Crucially, the bird was associating with Whooper Swans, an entirely wild and highly mobile species, making this an excellent candidate for a genuinely wild bird. Opinion within the local birding community was largely positive, with many viewing it as one of the strongest wild-origin contenders in recent years….

At the time of writing, the Snow Goose appears to have moved on, possibly travelling south into Cambridgeshire with the Whooper Swan flock. All eyes now turn to the BBRC to see how this fascinating record is ultimately assessed.

Photo: Adult white-morph Snow Goose was discovered at Tongue End, photographed by Toby Carter on 26th Dec 2025 – see https://ebird.org/checklist/S290285434