Words and images by Patrick Rooney
As a freelance filmmaker, I’ve often had the privilege of working on some truly interesting projects. Getting to visit and document activities taking place in different communities, seeing first-hand what is happening across regions of the country, and learning about new subjects and ideas makes every day on the job an education.
One project that I feel particularly lucky to have been part of is the Wild Goose Festival.
Now, I must admit that for most of my life I paid very little attention to geese, or indeed to birds in general. Of course, there were the occasional moments: spotting a robin in the snow, driving past a hawk perched on a fence post, or making sure the gulls along the Whitesands didn’t dive-bomb me for my takeaway. Beyond those fleeting encounters, however, the first time I really sat up and paid attention to birds was in October 2020, while working on a livestream for the Wild Goose Festival.
Geese, in particular, were a species I had never thought much about. What’s so special about a goose? Aren’t they just like swans? And why is there a festival named after them in Dumfries?
Not long after that first livestream event, almost five years ago now, those questions quickly disappeared.
Dumfries and Galloway is a beautiful region, rich in natural assets and unique landscapes. One of its most important features is the Solway Firth, which stretches across the region and provides a remarkably productive habitat for wildlife. Every autumn through to spring, the Solway Estuary becomes home to tens of thousands of geese that travel vast distances to get there, including those journeying more than 2,600 km from Svalbard.
Since 2020, I have had the pleasure of working as the documentarian for the Wild Goose Festival, creating films that showcase the activities, workshops and events that take place each year. I’ve also been fortunate enough to visit places such as WWT Caerlaverock to film the geese arriving across the reserve after their long migration.
Through this work, my knowledge of and interest in these birds has grown and continues to deepen every year. To the point where it is no longer just about geese… I’m slowly becoming a bit of a birder. (I’m also approaching 30 years of age and have heard through the grapevine that this happens to the best of us.)
Barnacle geese, in particular, hold a special place in my heart. Their personalities, distinctive honks and striking plumage all contribute to a character that is impressive enough before you even consider their remarkable migratory journey. Being able to document these birds in my homeland of Scotland has been a huge joy. I would never have imagined, nor expected, that I would one day have the opportunity to document these geese in their homeland as well.
And yet, here we are.
As I write this, I have just spent the past two weeks on assignment aboard an expedition vessel, circumnavigating the island of Svalbard. Here, I have seen pink-footed and barnacle geese in large numbers. They can be found tucked away in the corners of fjords miles wide, soaring above glaciers, or moving across the hillsides in their gaggles. They are here, and they are everywhere.
Seeing and hearing them in this environment, surrounded by mountains that disappear into the clouds, watching huge icebergs drift past along the shoreline, and observing them alongside gatherings of walrus has been a surreal experience. For someone accustomed to seeing them among the flat, marshy fields and wetlands of the Solway, Svalbard represents a dramatic shift in scenery. Yet, somehow, it still feels familiar.
To be able to visit and work in Svalbard, documenting the landscapes and wildlife here, has felt like a full-circle moment in both my life and my career. It is a milestone that I do not take lightly, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this experience.
I must also say that knowing these thousands of geese will happily leave this stunning part of the world to spend the winter in bonnie Scotland is a wonderfully heartening thought.
I’m very much looking forward to joining them on their flight south.