Cobden Farm Bed and Breakfast

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Freefall gooseander-lings

This gooseander (left hand middle of the photo) hatched out her brood in the gutter of the farmhouse roof...30ft up.
First we knew of it was a loud quacking.
She was in the field, calling her brood together.
We'd no idea where they'd all come from until we talked to a friend. He said gooseanders make their nests above ground. Further investigation - and we spotted the nest high up. Definitely above ground.
These tiny gooseander-lings had freefallen the 30ft to the ground, bounced, got up on their webbed feet and scuttled to their mother. Amazing.
PS - the sheep and lambs wanted their photo taking too...
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