Duck, Duck, Goose.

Here's an update on the goose we have been feeding, as well as some greedy, but beautiful ducks as well. The lake is frozen over now and most of the other geese have gone, however our broken-winged friend is still there, as well as 2 other ones that we see now and then. The other day those two flew overhead, honking as if to say "Farewell" to the poor remaining one, and he stretched his neck and flapped his wings as hard as he could, it just about broke my heart, but today all three were together again, although the 2 who can fly seem to stay further away from the injured one.

You should click on this picture (of the 2) to enlarge it, I was really pleased with how it turned out, the colour of the weeds and algae underneath the ice is amazing. The ducks and geese walk so carefully, stretching their necks to see where to step and every now and then they peck at the ice, I guess they see a particularly delectable looking piece of weed beneath the clear ice and they try to get it.

The other 2 geese and the 4 ducks won't come up to us, but the injured fellow will take food from your hand. We have to break holes in the ice now so thay they can get water. Today we sat and laughed as all 4 ducks ran across the entire lake to get to us, their little fat bodies waddling and their bright orange feet skittering across the slippery ice, in their haste to get some feed before the geese ate it all. The hole we had punched in the ice wasn't even 3 inches across and yet every single duck fell into it. They hopped out and shook their tail feathers and continued on the mad scramble to get to the food. It was almost as if, when the first duck fell in, that the other 3 thought that they had to also.

We bought some proper feed for them, bread is like "junk food" for a goose, it won't hurt them and they enjoy it, but they can't live on it. I bought 22 kg of cracked corn, wheat, oats and barly and do they ever gobble it down. You can see the size of his gullet in the bottom picture...full and content.