Day One: Monday 17th May 2016.
Wow! 2 geese and 15 goslings surprised us as we climbed the steps up to the canal, the parents were very cautious to begin with, there was plenty of head shaking but as soon as we started to throw some bread to the goslings they calmed down. Can you spot the runt?
Day Two: Tuesday 17th May 2016.
No sign of the geese or goslings.
Day Three: Wednesday 18th May 2016.
There was no sign of the geese family at New Mills Marina so we headed towards Furness, the nesting goose at windy corner was still sat on her eggs whilst dad squawked at us from the field beyond.
We were beginning to think the family of geese had moved on but as we turned the corner at Furness Marina all fifteen goslings were on the canal bank pecking at the grass.
We were beginning to think the family of geese had moved on but as we turned the corner at Furness Marina all fifteen goslings were on the canal bank pecking at the grass.
The parents were cautious as we approached, hissing and shaking their heads but they soon calmed down as we fed the goslings some bread allowing us to get close.
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| The runt |
Day Four: Thursday 19th May 2016.
The very heavy rain at tea time was making our nightly stroll along the canal doubtful but by 7.00 pm the rain had passed so clad in winter coats we set off.
There were no Geese or Goslings at New Mills Marina and we knew Mother Goose was still perched on her nest at windy corner when we spied Dad still standing guard in the field.
Bread in hand we approached the geese cautiously but they were only interested in the bread, we made sure we threw some bread to one gosling who was desperately trying to climb the canal bank onto the tow path but failed every time.
The gosling count was still an incredible 15, we were glad to see 'the runt' in the thick of it.
Day Five to Seven: Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd May 2016.
Unfortunately time did not permit a walk along the canal for three days :-(
Day Eight: Monday 23rd May 2016.
Monday again and back in our routine of evening walks along the canal, we ventured as far as Furness Vale marina but alas there was no sign of the family of geese. The friendly walker/cyclist we meet most nights informed us that the family had headed to the Bugsworth Junction, hopefully they will wander back in the New Mills direction shortly.
Mother Goose at Windy Corner was still perched on her nest and dad was still standing guard in the field behind
Day Nine: Tuesday 24th May 2016.
As we approached Windy Corner we were met by a very unexpected sight.
There must of been a dozen geese on the canal in the same area as nesting Mother Goose, Dad was being very vocal from the field, this was having the desired effect in keeping the geese away from Mother Goose.
Another surprise was in store as we drew opposite the nest.
Not wanting to disturb Mother Goose we didn't linger long and continued our walk towards Furness, using the bread we had brought we enticed the large number of Geese sway from the nesting pair, as we went and one greedy goose decided to jump onto the bank but since we had bread he/she didn't hiss too much.
Our nightly chat with the friendly walker/cyclist revealed the original goose family were now back at Furness Marina but alas we had left our walk too late to go that far, hopefully we will see them tomorrow and hopefully more goslings will have hatched at Windy Corner.
Day Ten: Wednesday 25th May 2016.
A rather wet evening, but undeterred by the weather we donned our waterproof coats and set off on our nightly stroll, we saw the friendly walker as soon as we reached New Mills Marina and he reported that the family of 15 goslings was still a family of 15 and were located at the canal cottages in Furness.
As we approached the nest at Windy Corner it was obvious it had been deserted but it looked like all the eggs had hatched. There was no sign of Mother and Father Goose and the newly hatched Goslings, hopefully they won't have gone far and we will catch up with them again soon.
We braved the rain and continued along the tow path in search of the 15, once in sight it didn't take long for them to spot the bread bag and start swimming towards us.
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| The runt. |
Day Eleven: Thursday 26th May 2016.
A better evening weather wise but alas not a single gosling in sight. The nest at Windy Corner was again deserted, there were 2 adult geese near the nest but no accompanying gosling/s.
We continued to Furness in the hope of seeing the family of 15 but we were out of luck here to.
On our way back we fed the adult pair at Windy Corner the bread we had intended for the goslings.
Day Twelve & Thirteen: Friday 27th - Saturday 28th May 2016.
Alas, no time for a walk over the canal so no gosling news.
Day Fourteen: Sunday 29th May 2016.
A perfect afternoon for a walk to Tesco at Whaley, armed with my camera I didn't have long to wait before spotting the single gosling and parents at Bank End.
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Dad hissing at a group of Geese that were getting a little close.
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I carried on towards Furness and just past Carrs Bridge I spotted the family of 15 pecking at the grass on the opposite bank.
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| The Runt, not so little any more |
Day Fifteen: Monday 29th May 2016.
A lovely sunny Bank Holiday for a change, we spotted the family of fifteen just after Carrs Bridge pecking the grass on the banking opposite, the runt could be seen close to one of the adults, they made there way down to the canal bank but with no bread to entice them they did not stray into the water.
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| Still a family of fifteen |
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| Amazing how they have grown in 15 days |
As we drew closer we noticed another pair of adult geese close to the family, it seemed strange that there was no hissing or honking exchanged between the two adult pairs but when we stopped opposite we noticed the single gosling close to the other adult pair.
Day Sixteen: Tuesday 30th May 2016.
Back to work after the Bank Holiday weekend so it was late evening before we ventured on our gosling hunt, fading light means the pictures aren't great today. Both the family of 15 and the single gosling were still on the banking near Carrs Bridge.
They all came running once they spotted we had bread...
Not great videos but the sound the goslings make is just fantastic.
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Gosling Scrum!
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Day Seventeen: Wednesday 1st June 2016
We walked all the way to the bridge at Furness but not a single gosling any where! There were a few newly hatched ducklings that enjoyed the goslings bread.
Day Eighteen: Thursday 2nd June 2016
It was gone 8.00pm before we left home for our evening walk, for the beginning of June the weather was calm but not overly warm, just past new mills marina the friendly walker informed us that the goslings were just past the canal cottages at Furness, we hadn't intended on walking that far after the late start but having missed them yesterday I really wanted to photo them this evening so off we went.
As we approached the canal cottages we spotted the single gosling and parents on the tow path, as we walked closer the family of 15 came into sight also pecking the grass at the side of the path. Not having any bread we didn't venture too close.
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6 of the family of 15.
Amazing there is only 10 days between these two photos!
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Day Nineteen: Friday 3rd June 2016.
No time for a walk tonight so no progress report.
Day Twenty: Saturday 4th June 2016.
A beautiful sunny day meant a lunchtime walk to Tesco was on the cards, no sign of any goslings at Windy corner or Furness but as I approached Bridgemont I spotted four adult geese with goslings on the opposite bank.
On my way back from Tesco the geese had taken to the water and I was able to count 15 plus the 1 small gosling with 1 pair of adults, the other pair of adults were close by but it appears there is now a family of 16.
Spot the original runt in the centre and to the right the newly adopted lone gosling!
