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.
©️ wildonline.blog
REEVES MUNTJAC
The Reeves Muntjac ( Muntiacus reevesi ) is a small stocky deer , with a distinctive haunched appearance , with a rusty brown coat which turns a dull shade of grey in winter. The Muntjac was named in 1812 after John Reeves of the East India Company. This non native species originated in south east Asia and was introduced to…
ROE DEER
Roe Deer , Capreolus capreolus The roe is one of the two species of truly native deer of the British Isles, the other being the red deer. Records of them date nearly 6,000 years.. They are strongly associated with woodlands and have increased in both population and distribution with the increase in woodland planting in…
THE HIDE , WATER
The Hide , Monday 22nd May 2023 Another busy day here at the Hide with the pool central to all the action. It seems that Monday is bath day.! The appearance of the Sparrowhawk last week seems to have scared off all the blackbirds . Normally there’s at least three or four hanging around the…
Thanks for the link to the list…. I’m gonna take a look at these pictures this evening. It looks very promising.
Greetz,
Rudi
LikeLike
Thank you Rudi
LikeLike
👌👌👌📷✒️🌹
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
I think it is one of the U.K. most common geese. Interesting about the kindergarten. I will also look up Nils Holgersson
LikeLiked by 1 person
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.
LikeLike
Love all your photos! Hard to pick a favorite!
LikeLike
Thank you Lisa for the kind words
LikeLiked by 1 person