Our World & World Bird Wednesday - Goose on the Loose

Nothing really special, just one of my evening walks . . .

You may remember our goose forever sitting on infertile eggs?

Well, someone hearing of this at the cherry orchard our

granddaughters help out at during their holidays, offered a

gander. Granddaughter thought it was a kind gesture but laid

not much dependence on it. Imagine her surprise when next day

the lady was back with a box full of gander as a present.

The gander was duly installed in the farmyard but goosie was not

much interested as she had grown up with another gosling and a

matriarchal duck who was superseded by a bouncy, bossy bantam

who had met her untimely end by flying into the German Shepherd's

pen to steal his food.

What with one thing and another, Mr.Gander decided to

emigrate to the dam in the park where Goosie, who feels at

home among the dogs, cats and cars, occasional sheep and

horses in the farm yard, goes to visit and for an occasional swim.

Mr.Gander is more concerned with over-flying birds than with my

presence.

To get there, I climbed through a barbed wire fence, using the unavoidably

rattling chain on the gate instantly alerts the parrots who raise

the other birds.

While doing a photo session with the gander, a couple of cormorants??

lifted off our old diving platform. Sorry I can just show you a glimpse

of one, I inadvertently erased the shot of both of them.

The pond was teeming with life, the whole family of little grebes

was at home as well as a number of wood duck and black duck

and blackbirds coming down to drink.

One of the adults near the far side of the dam

and a very curious youngster who hotfooted over to within six

feet of where I was sitting on the crossing stones.

Isn't he just the cutest?

Some of the other residents keeping to the other shore

or having a quick bath on Golden Pond.

Just one more shot of the gander as the light fades, doing

his swan impression after an Olympic swim around the pond.

Since these few shots, the temperatures have been in excess of 40+C

so I have been housebound under a fan to prevent my brain melting

and leaking out of my ears.

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year and lots of fun visiting both

OUR WORLD and World Bird Wednesday. Both accessible from the

relevant Logos on my side bar.

Also linked to Weekend Walkabout, Watery Wednesday and Nature Notes