World Bird Wednesday - In Memoriam . . .

Last Saturday our beloved gander jumped the fence into the cow

paddock. The cows are very territorial and although they tolerate

the humans who feed them and even muzzle up to them to be

scratched, a few sheep who crawl through the fence and small

mobs of kangaroos, they have even looked askance at me crossing

their turf. The appearance of a large white, waddling bird seemed

cause for investigation, they all went to look and the result was one

dead gander literally cornered in the corner of the fence. Whether

he died of shock or of being muzzled we will never know . . .

My heart is heavy with loss, I found him as I climbed through a

kangaroo hole in the fence to feed him. He was my friend and

bridge to the wild birds accepting me as well and is sorely missed

and with him my hopes of goslings in the Spring.

Not much else to report except the European house sparrows

digging up those died up grass areas we laughingly call lawn.

They descend in numbers but are skittish to get a shot of.

Ha, gocha in the faraway tree.

At the lonely pond an unidentified cormorant circled and left.

My bird finder does not feature one with a totally white head and

dark belly and white around the vent. My hopes rest yet again

on Stuart M being able to identify it.

Thanks once again to Springman for hosting this wonderful bird meme.