… A Lot of Goose.
These were all photos taken on the first of March in the year of our Lord 2008. GEESE…..
A close up, managed with half zoom and half leaning-over-the-rail-praying-I-didn’t-fall-in-because-the-camera-is-£160-damnit.
Did I mention the torpedoness? Wednesday, Mar 12 2008
Coots and Goose Park 3:00 am
It makes it very annoying for photos.
Coots. Feh.
This bird was possibily breaking the ten mile an hour swimming speed of the lake. *mutter*
The gullses. Tuesday, Mar 11 2008
Goose Park and Gulls 3:00 am
They argue.
Also, it’s worth noting, the exact same species as the bird mother photographed ( http://errantmoggy.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/for-you-a-guest-photo/ ) and we still can’t work out what the hell they are.
“Who YOU callin’ a duck?!” Monday, Mar 10 2008
Goose Park and Mallards 3:00 am
Mallards with attitude. Sometimes I think they’re like punks – they come from nowhere, hang together for a while, then disappear.
He’s definitely a mallard, by the way. I don’t know what these birds are doing to get that colouring, but he was courting a normal brown female duck.
:D Sunday, Mar 9 2008
Boats and Goose Park 3:00 am
“Shall we go for a walk, chaps?”
“I say, there’s water. Who’s for a swim?”
“Let’s all swim, chaps!”
Vogue! Saturday, Mar 8 2008
Canada Geese and Goose Park 3:00 am
… look, there are about thirty of these Canada Geese there, fifty and more gullses, maybe twenty or thirty mallards in varying colours… and four coots… I chose to focus on the geese. I do call it Goose Park.
And it does look like it’s posing.
Here’s the thing about this manmade lake. At one end, it goes a foot off groundlevel. So it’s held off by a brick wall. An average brick wall with a bit of concrete against what looks like a lot of water.
Um…
Coots. Friday, Mar 7 2008
Coots and Goose Park 3:00 am
Little torpedoes in birdy form.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/coot/index.asp
Slightly larger than moorhens (about three fourths a mallard’s length) and equally as loud, if not invisible, they also have the same wader’s gait. Wader-type birds have long legs, which moorhens and coots do, and long feet – this helps them walk across muddy areas a lot easily than other, heavier, birds. Their stride is about a foot, which is impressive for their size. They seem a little less nervous than moorhens to me, although they’re just as bloody annoying for taking pictures.
“Am I pretty?” Thursday, Mar 6 2008
Canada Geese and Goose Park 3:00 am
Yes, you are.
Canada geese are very distinctive, by the way. A little smaller than swans, their method of getting into the air is… well, just as ungraceful, although not as awkward as an albatross trying to fly, and their migration is definitely noticeable. When there’s a load of honking boards in a V above your head you tend to notice.
Of course, that’s how I figured they were back. You see, a big flock flew into Maldon whilst mother and I was there – you could hear them all the way across the Blackwater Estuary – and were honking like mad. Since, figures I, they’re back, the ones in Basildon should be, too.
Bow trail. Yes. Wednesday, Mar 5 2008
Canada Geese and Goose Park 3:00 am
Geese leave it. I mean, seriously, there was a goose with half a foot of water up its front, it went so fast!
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/canadagoose/index.asp
What they don’t tell you is that they seem to be the most easily tamed wild birds I’ve ever seen. Also just as opportunistic as mallards, with fake swan grace but none of the aristocratic attitude.
It doesn’t really help that they’re just plain pretty, you know?
I’ve been noticing something about waterfowl lately. They seem really intelligent. Maybe it’s the black eye, slant head, gaze-at-human-see-if-there’s-any-bread-in-it-for-me thing.
“Hello… human.” Tuesday, Mar 4 2008
Goose Park and Mallards 3:00 am
A pair of mallards sat on a short walkway over the manmade lake in Goose Park. (I refuse to call it anything else. I mean, that many geese?!)
