GREYLAG GOOSE
Anser anser
Length 80cm
Wingspan 140-160cm
Weight 3-4 kg
Population 150,000
The greylag goose is a large, pale grey goose with pink legs and an orange bill. It is our most common and widespread native goose , wildin the north of Scotland and reintroduced to the rest of the UK. The greylag can be territorial whilst nesting and will chase other geese and birds away from it’s nest site.
Greylag geese are monogamous and usually pair for life . The greylag normally doesn’t start breeding until 3 years of age, with consequent large numbers of non-breeding sub-adult birds. The greylag goose usually starts to nest in April, on the ground, preferably on an island if at all possible. The nest is lined with feathers and down. The greylag goose normally lay 5-7 eggs, incubated by the female for four weeks. From the moment they hatch, their downy young can walk, swim and feed themselves but it is seven to nine weeks before they can fly. The average lifespan of a greylag in the wild is about eight years.
The geese and their goslings feed mostly by grazing short-cropped grass but head for the water whenever danger threatens. They feed on any plant material, including roots, tubers, shoots and leaves, both in water and on land.
Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Greylag geese are listed in Schedule 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning they can be killed or taken outside of the close season.
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GREAT TIT
Here is my photo of the week , the humble Great tit , enjoying a bath in the paddling pool at the Meadow Hide.
IT’S ALL SO QUIET
Today I’m flying solo at the hide. The much needed trim to the path is now complete , paddling pool water topped up , so that’s todays duties done and dusted. It’s quiet here today , both in the number of feathers and paws visiting the hide , but also noise created by humans. The […]
FRIDAY AT THE HIDE
Friday at the hide , 13th may 2022 A bonus day at the hide today , and i’m not here alone , today my co-pilot is none other than The Wiltshire Birdman , Mr Graham Stewart. It’s been over a week since my last visit to the hide , an boy has the meadow grown […]
Wildonline.blog 
Thanks for the link to the list…. I’m gonna take a look at these pictures this evening. It looks very promising.
Greetz,
Rudi
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Thank you Rudi
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👌👌👌📷✒️🌹
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Beautiful photos! I love geese, ever since I heard the story of Nils Holgersson when I was a child. They are very common in Denmark. We could also observe that they obviously have a Kindergarten arrangement, where a few adult birds watch a whole “gang” of goslings. I found that very interesting.
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I think it is one of the U.K. most common geese. Interesting about the kindergarten. I will also look up Nils Holgersson
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It is a beautiful fairytale, the English title seems to be “The wonderful adventures of Nils” by Selma Lagerlöf. He is a Tom thumb, who travels with the grey geese through Sweden.
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Love all your photos! Hard to pick a favorite!
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Thank you Lisa for the kind words
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