Pink-footed Goose - Streatley, Berkshire. 18/01/09

Pink-footed Goose.

I decided to take a trip over to Streatley in Berkshire today to see the Pink-footed Goose Found by Neil Bucknell in early January. Although the weather was a bit chilly the sun was out and I hoped for the chance to get a few photos of this rare visitor to the county of Berkshire.

After parking the car my girlfriend and I headed along the Thames Path towards Cleeve Lock, a gathering of Black-headed and Common gull were congregating on a large flooded area of the fields and on the opposite bank of the River Thames a large flock of Canada Geese were grazing on a large riverside lawn. Arriving at Cleeve Lock we met a departing Adam Basset and his daughter, after having a quick chat we said our goodbyes and wandered off another 400yrds towards the Pink-foot.

The Pink-footed Goose was with 2 Egyptian Geese by the ditch on the Berkshire side of the Thames path and roughly 400 yrds north of Cleve Lock, the unringed Pink-foot did seem wary to me and often sat looking around, even when it was grazing it stopped to look around before carrying on eating. At about 3.15pm 2 more Egyptian Geese flew in from the boathouse on the Oxon side of the Thames. These 2 Egyptian Geese were very territorial, very vocal and plenty of outstretched wings with heads pointed to the sky, perhaps a pair and early signs of breeding display?. They proceeded to chase firstly the original 2 Egyptian Geese and then the Pink-foot, this went on for at least 30 minutes before the Pink-foot took flight and circled round the field and then landed 100yards south of it's take off point.

Pink-footed Goose.

Egyptian Goose.