Christmas Eve - Toulouse geese in Exeter

This Christmas I went with a group of friends to Exeter and on Christmas Eve, went for a morning walk with some of them.  We went down to the Quay and walked along the River Exe as far as the first bridge, where we crossed over the river and then walked back to the Quay.  At the end of the walk I was sitting with three of my friends outside a cafe overlooking the river.  My coffee had just arrived when I saw a group of white domestic geese on the river, so I grabbed my camera and left my coffee to go cold while I took some photos.

There were also some geese with brown feathers and, when I got back home after Christmas, I looked them up on the internet.  I believe that they were Toulouse geese.

This pair look very snooty - swimming along with their beaks in the air.

 Before lunch on Christmas Day I went back down to the river with a friend.  This time the geese were having a Christmas party on the towpath.  They were honking and honking and honking and honking!

This pair looked like a courting couple.  They were getting quite friendly and, maybe, exchanging Christmas kisses.  Where's the mistletoe?

Their friends were giving admiring glances to the river.

Other friends were more keen on the grassy bank.

Here are two goose-stepping white geese!

I love the pose of this big fat goose-stepping goose.  I thought he looked like a vicar getting ready to read the Christmas sermon.

The congregation came waddling along the towpath.

Some of the geese then decided to go for a swim.

This goose was not sure what I was up to, crouching down by it.  It gave me the evil eye before waddling off to join its friends in the water.

I got another unfriendly stare from this big white goose.  I have never seen this type of goose before, so I was quite thrilled.  It made a nice change from the hundreds of mute swans that are found on the river Exe in Exeter.

Eventually most of the gang jumped into the river and swam off - probably heading somewhere exciting for Christmas lunch.

Female Mallard's beautiful feathers

I live in London and feel that Londoners are very lucky to have so many parks and green spaces where there are opportunities to enjoy seeing beautiful wildlife.

On a visit to Battersea Park not long ago, I came across this gorgeous female Mallard.  She was standing on the bank and I was amazed at how beautiful her feathers were.  That great shade of purply-blue on the middle section, the amazing brown/camel patterning at the top of her back and her wonderful beige/brown fan-shaped tail feathers.  What a beautiful looking bird!

Female Mallard showing off her beautiful feathers

I had always thought in the past that the duck was very drab, being mainly brown, while the drake had a more colourful set of feathers and that amazing turquoise head.  Here he is, waiting for his partner to join him in the lake.

Mallard drake waiting for his partner to join him in the water

 She stood on the edge of the lake for a while, but I think she didn't much like me taking her photograph.  She joined her partner and they went off for a synchronised swim together.

Male and female Mallards going for a swim

They made a very handsome couple!

Bye-bye baby Wood Pigeons - 5

A few weeks ago, on 9th April, I discovered that I had two non-paying guests on my terrace, which is above a shop at the back of my flat.  There were 2 baby Wood Pigeons in a nest that was hidden by plants.  I have written several posts about their progress, the last one being about the first flight early in the morning on Tuesday, 26th April, of the more adventurous baby.

The next morning, 27th April, when I looked out of the window on the floor above the terrace, the adventurous bird  was sitting on the wall of the neighbouring terrace, while the sibling was still confined to the nest.

One young Wood Pigeon has left the nest, while the other is still in it on the other side of the space between 2 buildings

Close-up of the first flier - an adventurous young Wood Pigeon

 In the afternoon, both young Wood Pigeons were sitting in the sun on terrace of the neighbouring building on the right!

Second young pigeon has learnt to fly and joined its sibling next door

2 young Wood Pigeons sitting in the sunshine on the wall next door

 On Thursday morning, 28th April, there was only one young Wood Pigeon at home.  The more adventurous one had flown away.  An adult was hanging around, no doubt trying to persuade the other youngster to take flight and leave the nest.

Adult Wood Pigeon waiting for youngster to fully fledge

I opened the window of the room above the terrace, frightening the bird below, and it winged its way
onto a roof on the left side of my terrace.

Second young Wood Pigeon taking a flying lesson

 It sat there for some time, no doubt wondering what to do next.

Young Wood Pigeon, learning to fly and wondering what to do next

I was able to take some photographs out of the window.  Then I decided to go onto the terrace to take some from below the Wood Pigeon.  When I opened the door, it flew away!!

That afternoon, I moved the plant pots that had hidden the nest from me and put something over it so that the adults could not come back and start all over again.

Wood Pigeon nest

At the weekend, I got myself together and removed the disgusting mess that was the remains of the nest.  I love wildlife, but do not want more baby Wood Pigeons living amongst my plants - sorry mum and dad Wood Pigeon!

Progress of the young Wood Pigeons in the nest on my terrace - 3

I have been trying to avoid going outside onto my terrace at the back of the flat to avoid disturbing the nesting Wood Pigeons.  However, I have needed to water my plants and went out there last Sunday.  I was able to take some photographs of the progress of the two babies - not really babies any more, of course, as they are now a few weeks old.

2 young Wood Pigeons in nest at the back of my large plant container

There are a couple of plant pots full of tall leaves in front of the nest, so I had to put my hand onto the leaves and push them out of the way to get a view of the youngsters - who were not too keen on this invasion of their privacy.

Wood Pigeon squab on nest behind the leaves

The young Wood Pigeon was staring at me and hoping I would leave it in peace.

Wood Pigeon youngster giving me the beady eye

I took a few photographs on the terrace and then went upstairs and opened the bathroom window on the floor above.  Below is a view from the window, with a youngster hanging out of the nest on the right hand side of the wooden railing and still staring at me with a beady eye.  The nest is on the edge of the terrace and there is an open space that goes down 2 floors between my building and the one next door.

Young Wood Pigeon hiding behind the greenery on my terrace.

Close up of the young Wood Pigeon on the nest - photo taken from above

Every so often, a parent would come and feed them - perching on a neighbouring railing before flying over to the nest.

Wood Pigeon parent waiting to fly over and feed it's youngsters

Baby Coots on the Regents Canal near Limehouse - London wildlife

Today I went on a walk along the tow-path of the Regents Canal, starting at Limehouse.  I had not gone very far before I spotted a couple of Coots and their babies.

Towards the middle of the canal was a parent Coot with a baby Coot.

Coot and a baby Coot

Towards the back wall of the canal there was the other parent Coot with the rest of the family - 4 baby Coots.

Coot with four babies

Further along the canal another pair of Coots were building a large nest.  The male Coot had just delivered some more nesting material.

Mum-to-be Coot in centre of nest and dad-to-be at side

It is such a shame that this and all the other nests along the canal seem to include rubbish as part of their nesting material.  Why, oh why, can't we be more responsible and put our rubbish in the right place - in a bin, not in the canal?

Spring blossom and Canada Geese in Battersea Park

I love going for walks in London's parks and, for the first time in years, I recently took myself off for a wander round London's Battersea Park.  I don't remember ever walking round the lake before and it looked lovely with the Spring blossom on the trees.

Canada Geese under a canopy of Spring blossom on the trees

A couple of Canada Geese were slowly swimming around near the bank and occasionally nibbling on the greenery at the edge of the water.

Canada Geese and Spring blossom

I loved the patterns in the water and the reflections of the Canada Geese.

Canada Goose with reflection behind the shrubbery

The geese were having a gentle swim and trying to find some tasty shoots to eat.

2 Canada Geese hiding behind the Spring shoots

I stayed for a while watching them and taking photographs.

Canada Goose with it's reflection in the water and berries on land

I then walked further round the lake and got a different view of the Geese, greenery, berries and blossom - it looked so pretty.

2 Canada Geese with greenery, berries and blossom on the trees

The geese were then joined by 2 Mallards - drake and duck - who were also enjoying the Spring.

Canada Geese, Mallards and Spring blossom

In the future I will definitely have to go for some more walks in Battersea Park.

Lapwings in the Lee Valley Country Park

During a walk in the Lee Valley Country Park, which was led by a member of the RSPB, we were treated to groups of Lapwings in two different, but very similar, areas of the park.

Lapwings on the lagoon

There were groups of Lapwings flying around too, but it was impossible to photograph them.

Lapwings standing in the water

Both groups were in the distance, but I hope that you can still see what beautiful birds they are.

Egyptian Goose mum protects her babies from the humans

Last week I spent some time towards the end of the day watching an Egyptian Goose family in Kensington Gardens.

Dad was around when I first saw them, but then swam off leaving mum alone with four little cute goslings.  Below is a photograph showing just three of the babies, as the other one declined to co-operate in a group photo.

Three Egyptian goslings under mum goose's tummy

I stood some way back from the family, as I did not want to disturb them.  But then, some women and their children came along and, unwisely, the mothers let their children get near to the Egyptians.  Mum Egyptian immediately got her babies under cover - well, under her actually!

Mother Egyptian Goose hiding her four little goslings

Some people have no sense!  How would those mothers have liked it it some Giants had come along and wanted to touch their children?  

Goslings coming out from under the protective cover of female Egyptian Goose's body

The humans were still trying to touch the Egyptians, so there was no choice but to take to the water - even though the family had just taken ages preening their feathers and getting dry.

 

Egyptian Goose mum and 4 goslings getting ready for another dip in the water

So it was compulsory swimming time again for the family.

Egyptian Goose and babies take a swim

Egyptian Goose and goslings - 3 in a line and 1 needs to catch up!

Egyptian Goose mum with close formation of youngsters

Mum Egyptian did not force the babies to swim around for too long and was soon back on dry land - a little further away from the people who disturbed them.

Egyptian Goose mum on bank while her goslings start eating again along the edge of the pond

The people who had caused the extra swimming class then went away and mum and babies waddled back to their original location, did some more preening and drying off and then settled down again.

Mum Egyptian Goose having a rest with her 4 babies at her side

I do hope that they did not have to go swimming again that evening!