Sunday 19th September 2010

Thinking about the comment from Florrie on this blog,  yes it has been a bit of a war zone this year.  While away in the summer came back to find that we had missed the battle of the swans vs geese.  Apparently the swans were not pleased to find the geese visiting my neighbours garden., and went on the attack.  The one poor gosling got seperated (hopefully not the same one that had the run in with the cat - otherwise the poor thing will be quite neurotic by now).   It went to hide and the swan parents kept trying to get it, but gave up and it then returned to the garden crying for it's family who had long gone.  Apparently it eventually braved the water and must have met up with its parents down stream as on the next count there were all present and correct.  Believe it was a while before they dared visit the garden again, and when they did they had reinforcements with them,  another goose family which they hung around with from then on.  Safety in numbers.

Then we had the tale of the Egyptian Geese, who appeared from nowhere with six babies.  Not a normal site on the canal.  Unfortunately though the next time the parents came, there were no off spring and I didn't hear them, but neighbour tells me that Mother Goose sounded quite hoarse from calling her babies.