The Geese returned this morning. We heard their honking as we went out to feed the Horses and Emu. The Swans know they are there and are not best pleased, staying in their protected area, not coming out for their morning feed even though the Geese were at the other end of the Lake. Seeing the Swans food the Geese went to the area and were hovering about not sure that they were safe to go close to eat it.
A week or so back we had a flock of 12 Geese land and were harassed by the Swans until they flew off. This encounter is going quite differently so it could be that there was a bit of a set to before I saw them. The Swans being only a year old may be intimidated by the older Geese, Although when the Swan swam in the direction of the Geese the Geese went in direction. Some one mentioned about the Swans mating this year. Black Swans as Emu mate in the Winter. Normally laying their eggs about late November, but not until they are at least two years old. The Geese flew off after more than an hour. They will come and go over the next month or so, making up their mind if they are going to nest on the Lake. That is of course that seeing the Swan will stop them returning. I hope they nest this year on the Lake as it had a good ending last year with the Geese producing 5 live Gosling. The first time on our Lake. Seeing them fly off when they fledged was a great moment, only exceeded when they made a quick visit with the Goslings before they flew away to where ever they over Winter.
What I hope that the Geese don’t do is to try to nest by the Pond next to the Lake. It is not protected from the Fox or Otter with electric fencing and there is no Island. Being let down with having the new lake dug out in September spoilt what I had in my mind to do by putting the Swan on the new Lake. If this dry spell continues we may be able to start the new Lake in a month or so. That will still be to late.