LEAVE YOUNG BIRDS BE!!


Please, do not hamper a young bird's life by picking it up, and taking it home with you. It is calling its parents to help them in locating it.
After fledgling from the nest, the parent birds will keep feeding it, and look out for it, until it will be able to look after itself.
And the reason you cannot see a parent is because of your own proxomity to the young bird. And while you are ebating if or not you should take the bird home, you keep the parent from giving it well needed nutrition in the form of a meal!


Photos

The photos on this blog are all taken by me. If there is any picture you might want to use for any other than personal use, please drop me a line to the email address shown in the sidebar on the right.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Canada Goose, Branta canadendus , enigma











In last autumn I had been at one of my favourite spots along the bay, when I heard a lot of noise and saw a of Geese arriving and spotted them landing onto a small island. It was too far off to see properly, and I was unsure which specie or how many had arrived. I've not seen any migrant Geese this far south in the past 28 years, so it did surprise me.
I tried returning to the spot, after Jean, who used to be my homehelp, reported seeing someone feeding a Canada Goose and a Swan on the grassy outcrop across from the island. Other things on my mind-like a first Christmas on my own, the scare of those first anniversaries coming up, and absolutely horrific weather most of the time, kept me from going back. I was underway many times, but either the rain or too little charge of my batteries, sent me home again!
On the 23rd of January I had a nice ride, and managed to get to the outcrop. A Canada Goose plus Mute Swan, alright. It was feeding right next to the road, which made me think that I would get no photos here; these Geese are quite skittish of people. Stopping well before its position, I took these photos. Which was not easy as there was lots of greenery between us.

It almost looked as if it was a domestic bird. Also, they usually feed in flocks, I think?
All a bid odd. Yet I had heard and seen Geese landing on the island. And I'd never seen it here before. And neither had Jean, who passes the spot everyday.

I have to ask BirdwatchIreland about this. Have they had any reports about a flock this far south?

Two male Mallards, in different stages of their moult, were too busy preening for a few poses, while the Hooded Crow was very happy to give me its best side.