3 weeks Ago
An eagle-eyed photographer spotted some goslings at the water’s edge. Camera Club member, Philip Carter, shared the images which he took in Rudgwick, West Sussex. The pictures captured the Greylag Geese swimming in the water, their goslings following behind.
The Greylag is the largest and bulkiest of the wild goose native to the UK and Europe. They are often found around gravel pits, lakes and reservoirs all year round, particularly in southern areas of Britain. When nesting the birds can be very territorial and will often chase other geese and large birds away from their nest sites.
(Image: Philip Carter) This can also be humans or any other animals, chasing away any predator which they believe could be a threat to their young. They are easily identifiable by their orange bill and enjoy eating grain, root crops and leafy vegetation. Geese are often recognised for their distinctive honking sound, which they use to communicate with one another.
They are also highly sociable, relying heavily on one another for protection, foraging, and navigation during migration. When pairing, geese often form a bond for life, staying together all year-round, migrating and wintering together as a bonded pair. Geese are also very well adapted to water, their webbed feet enabling them to swim and their oil glands creates a waterproof agent to keep their feathers dry and allow for them to float.
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