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matriarchal duck who was superseded by a bouncy, bossy bantam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.
