Migrating brent geese snub Southsea refuge for golf course

Decoy geese have been placed in the field to try and entice the birds

Migrating brent geese have snubbed a coastal space fenced off especially for them in favour of a pitch-and-putt golf course and a cricket ground.

Fake geese and devices that emit geese calls were put on Castle Field in Southsea to entice the birds.

The site was set up as Clarence Playing Field - one of the birds' usual grounds - is being used for sea defence works.

Instead, the birds have taken up residence at the Tenth Hole golf course and nearby Portsmouth Cricket Club.

October sees the arrival of the brent geese from Siberia in southern England

The city council was required by Natural England to make an alternative provision from October to March for the over-wintering birds which arrive in large flocks from early October.

A Portsmouth City Council spokeswoman said: "Castle Field was identified as the most appropriate site for the refuge area, in conjunction with Natural England.

"We monitor the Castle Field site weekly and will continue to do so throughout winter, sharing our findings with Natural England.

"We are aware of brent geese on the cricket field, however, it must be noted that they tend to move between several sites in Portsmouth."

Works are under way to strengthen sea defences along a 4.5km-stretch (2.8 miles) of coastline in Southsea

Bill Branson, owner of the Tenth Hole, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The geese don't stop the golfers. If people are playing golf they generally fly on to the cricket pitch until the golf is finished.

"It doesn't cause too much of an issue except there's quite a lot of bird mess that gets walked through the tea rooms if customers have played golf and then come in."

Castle Field is expected to be fenced off for the next five years - the duration of the sea defence works - in the hope the geese which migrate to the area from Siberia will eventually feed and roost there.

The £131m project is to strengthen the sea defences along a 4.5km-stretch (2.8 miles) of coastline.