Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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.

34 comments:

  1. really sorry about your gander! i know you hated having him die that way!

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  2. Oh dear, I am so sorry about your gander. I enjoyed your post about him. I think we will all miss him. Take care and I hope the rest of your week is better.

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  3. Oh, poor gander! I'm so sorry! Always hurts to lose a friend -- two-legged or four-legged or winged!

    Sylvia

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  4. Wonderful shots. That's unfortunate about your gander, it's a rough world out there!

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  5. That's a shock, Arija. I can't visualize cows killing a goose, curious to investigate, yes, but killing? You must have a different breed of cows down under. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  6. Sorry to hear you have lost your bird.
    Lovely captures, I think the black bird is a black pied cormorant

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  7. Sorry about your loss. That must have been difficult. I hope things get better. Mother Nature is full of surprises sometimes. I have several garden friends around me while I work around the property and I've lost a few myself. It's very sad when it happens. Hugs.

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  8. Sorry to hear about the gander. Sure died under unusual circumstances.

    Looks like some sort of a cormorant.

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  9. sorry to read of your sad find. I did enjoy each of your beautiful photographs though ...

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  10. Very sorry about the gander, Arija! I know that certainly wasn't something you would have allowed if you could help it.

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  11. I am so sorry. They wind their way into your heart and losing them takes a piece of you with them.

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  12. Great photos of all the birds. I'm sorry about your poor goose.

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  13. Hi there - sorry to hear about the goose.

    I think your cormorant is a Little Pied - there are only two pied cormorants here, and the larger one has a pink/ grey beak. This one seems to have a yellow tinge.

    I wonder if the lack of black on the top of the head is because the birds head is angled away from us - and the apparent blackness under the body is caused by the shadow of the wings. The two pieds can be split in the field on size - but I can’t do that here.

    So, my best guess is Little Pied Cormorant.

    SM

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  14. It's a sad ending Arija - difficult to comprehend.
    I love the little birds in the far-away tree ... Beautifully captured.

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  15. Sorry about the gander!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  16. Sorry about your goose, it's so sad.

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  17. How sad Arija. Always very sad to lose an animal on has a communication with.

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  18. Oh, Arija. I'm so sorry about the gander. That is sad news.

    xoxoxo

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  19. · I am so sorry... It is a pity.

    · regards

    CR & LMA
    ________________________________
    ·

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  20. A sad post to read Arija..
    I hope you are ok.
    Big hug from me xx

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  21. Sorry to hear about the loss of your gander. Strange that the cows took exception to him.

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  22. Oh so sorry about your gander, I agree, he was probably scared to death poor little guy:(

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  23. Oh no...I was so hoping to see little goslings..I am sorry Arija.. He was a very handsome guy....

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  24. I'm sorry about your gander, Arija.

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  25. I'm so sorry for gander!
    It's always sad to lose a friend!

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  26. I'm so sorry about your gander -- nature can be so unpredictable, so it's best we enjoy what we have in the present.

    Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment on my blog. I truly appreciate it.

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  27. I'm so sorry to hear about your gander. I know that's a hard loss.

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  28. sorry about your loss. They can really be great companions.

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  29. So sorry for your loss Arija. It makes no different the kind of pet it always hurts. We come to know our pets as family and the loss always hits us hard.

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  30. Oh Arija, I just saw this sad post, and I am so very sorry, your heart must still be so heavy my friend. It is always our desire to do the very best and then nature just steps in and something like this can happen. Hopefully, it was quick, that would be the one thing to hope for in this loss. I do pray that you can find another new friend like this quickly to go out on your ventures with you. Take care dear heart~

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  31. Oh Arija, I just saw this sad post, and I am so very sorry, your heart must still be so heavy my friend. It is always our desire to do the very best and then nature just steps in and something like this can happen. Hopefully, it was quick, that would be the one thing to hope for in this loss. I do pray that you can find another new friend like this quickly to go out on your ventures with you. Take care dear heart~

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  32. I'm so sorry. I enjoyed reading your posts about the gander and will miss reading more about him.

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