Geese and goslings at Frampton Court lake

I went down to the canal  at Frampton where there were so many birds and sights to see, including a Little Egret flying right overhead, and many recently arrived swallows and swifts circling and swooping. Then I went to nearby Court Lake and spent an hour standing by the waterside and watching the springtime life.

There were lots of swans with their bums in the air whilst grazing on the bottom of the lake, and various barnacle geese munching grass on the meadow outside the big house. I spotted several hobbies swooping low over the water in the distance searching for insects in the air. An Arctic Tern was seen off by them and buzzards kept to the tall trees on the edge of the property.

But I was surprised by some greylag geese who suddenly appeared in front of me as I walked beside the lake. I'd seen the adults but not noticed their goslings. They quickly gathered them up and headed slowly down to the water and set sail. I think they are my favourite variety of geese and I enjoyed watching them parade their offspring, but also admired them as they saw off other birds who ranged too close.  A lot of squawking ensued and water was sprayed as their wings flapped and their necks flattened and straightened close to the water in aggression mode, which successfully turned the aggressors away.