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Get ready for a wildlife spectacle on your doorstep as thousands of brent geese fly in to Essex this autumn to spend their winter in the Thames Estuary.

From Saturday 3 – Thursday 22 October, the RSPB will be setting up its annual viewpoint in Leigh-on-Sea, where visitors can catch the spectacular sight of thousands of these wonderful geese feeding on the mudflats or taking to the air.

Each year the geese return from their breeding grounds in Siberia to come and feast on the eelgrass found on the saltmarsh along the Essex coast.

The Essex coast is one of only a few places in the UK to see such huge numbers of brent geese, so-called because of their charcoal black colour; the name brent is derived from an old Norse word meaning ‘burnt’.

Paula de Burgh, Visitor and Publicity Officer said, ‘Saltmarsh such as that found on the Essex coast is one of the most biologically productive habitats on the planet, even rivalling tropical rainforests. It also works as a natural sea defence, absorbing the force of the sea and reducing risk to people as well as birds.’

To watch the geese, visit the RSPB viewpoint on Victoria Wharf, Leigh-on-Sea, near the beach and public toilets. It is open everyday between 10 am – 4 pm from Saturday 3 – Thursday 22 October. Friendly RSPB staff and volunteers will be present with telescopes and binoculars available for use.

To find out more about the viewpoint at Leigh-on-Sea and the work of the RSPB go to http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/essexcoast/index.asp or phone 01268 498627.