We had a nice surprise last week when a pair of Canada geese had six goslings at the village lido. Having lived in the village for many years, this is the first time I’ve known the geese nesting and rearing their young here. Interestingly, the two resident swans have not returned to nest this year, which may be why the geese thought their little brood would be safe for this year. The swans in particular get very territorial.
The parents were being helped out by another goose whom the villagers call 'Wingy,' as unfortunately, it has Angel Wing, which is a condition that affects the development of the wing feathers. It copes perfectly well though and has been here for about a year. I think Wingy is enjoying looking after the goslings.
Sadly, by the next day, only four goslings remained. At this early stage, they are particularly vulnerable to predators or they might be weaker than the others. However, the four that are left appear to be healthy, so I hope they all survive.
I noticed if a gosling stepped out of line, one of the adult geese gave it a little peck just to remind it who is boss.
I think I was spotted! This is my entry to #SMaP Show Me A Photo Contest Round 218 - Free Theme.
Thank you to
@nelinoeva and the team for running the contest.
