Rare bar-headed goose spotted on golf course in Kotka

A bar-headed goose, a rare visitor to Finland, was seen Friday on a golf course in Kotka, according to public broadcaster Yle.

The pale waterfowl, easily distinguished from the darker barnacle geese in the area, was first reported Thursday and again Friday near the Mussalo golf course in Kotka, confirmed Aki Arkiomaa, executive director of BirdLife Finland. Observations were logged in the Tiira bird database.

“While this is fundamentally a rare species in Finland, it is not entirely wild,” Arkiomaa said, noting that some sightings may involve the same birds moving between regions.

Bar-headed geese, known for the distinctive black stripes on their heads, typically exhibit behavior similar to barnacle geese. Birdwatchers gathered Friday morning at the Mussalo course, prompting Kymen Golf to remind visitors that unrestricted movement on the fairways poses a risk from fast-moving golf balls.

Finland records several dozen bar-headed goose sightings annually.