This paper describes part of a feeding ecology study of European white-fronted geese Anser a. albifrons Scopoli carried out over three seasons, 1968-69, 1969-70 and 1970-71, at the New Grounds, Slimbridge, Glos. The wintering flock consists of up to 7600 birds and feeds mainly on 1250 ac (500 ha) of wet pasture surrounding the Wildfowl Trust enclosures. The geese usually arrive during October and stay until early March. Part of the feeding area (about 70 ha) consists of salting pastures which are covered periodically by the tidal water of the River Severn. The work described here was an attempt to determine whether the geese were selective in their choice of feeding site on the salting. An account of their daily movements and other aspects of their feeding ecology will be published elsewhere. THE STUDY AREA The area chosen was a salting pasture of about 100 ac (40 ha), known as the Dumbles. This was particularly suitable because (a) it is managed as a unit, being grazed by sheep and cattle in summer; (b) its vegetation is variable; (c) it is flanked by hides which makes goose observation easy; and (d) it is a favoured goose feeding area throughout the winter.
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Myrfyn Owen (1971) studied this question.