The other day we witnessed a wee gaggle of greylag geese and eleven fluffy goslings trying to reach the pond for a swim. We first came upon three adults and one gosling on the path in front of us. The adults seemed to be encouraging the youngster to go back to the group it had come from, behind a fence separating a field from the edge of the pond.
Eventually they coaxed the baby back to its siblings behind the fence.
The adults on the path went in for a swim and there were three more adults behind the fence trying to shepherd their brood to the water.
There seemed to be no way through all together. At least not while we were watching. So we made a show of heading off out of the way and then doubled back unseen to observe from a distance. Not sure how they got through the fence, perhaps the adults flapped over the top and the wee ones went through. But off they set for the pond!
When they got to the bank they loitered a few minutes, grazing on sparse tufts of grass.
Then the adults entered the pond and the youngsters watched on before plopping in one by one.
Then they were all in! Although this photo shows ten there were actually eleven. One was a bit bolder than all the rest and was in the front. Maybe the one that had been on the path?
Off they tootled. A glorious day for a trip “doon the water”!
The funny thing is I’ve been back up to the pond the last few days and there’s now no sign of any of them. I even checked some ponds nearby. Perhaps they’re still keeping a low profile in the large cereal field between two ponds and only coming out for occasional swims.
Sarah's Wildlife Watch 