Sonny Reincarnation ?

UPDATE: I checked the goose this morning and discovered it has a badly broken right wing. It was beyond my ability to fix it so I phoned the SSPCA and they picked it up about 1 pm.
I did tell the inspector that I would be willing to care for it until the spring and would help with the vets costs if it's at all fixable. They will let me know the Vets opinion.



Still thinking about the tragedy of Sonny's demise, I went down to the harbour as usual to feed the Swans this morning. Incredibly, sitting at the bottom of the harbour steps was a pink footed goose with a damaged wing. It has either been shot by one of the cowboys at Findhorn or hit something, which is highly unlikely. Anyway I tried to approach it to see if I could help. It was having none of it and dived into the harbour and swam underwater for some 8 metres before surfacing. ( I did not realise that geese could swim underwater ! )






Anyway it headed into the river for a short while then back into the harbour where it again climbed onto the steps.


I asked Robert, skipper of the Osprey if he could position his boat against the steps to stop it diving into the the harbour again, and I would try and catch it. He carefully positioned his boat against the steps, but as I stooped to pick it up I slipped and it dived into the small gap at the bow of the boat ! At this point I gave up as it headed into the river and downstream.

I wondered if it would return later in the afternoon. On my return about 3.15pm I could see it sitting on the steps again well above the water line, so it must have returned shortly after I left.

I looked around to see how I could catch it this time. I asked one of the boat owners if they had a net but no luck, so I mooched around until I found a makeshift net. I then struck on the idea of using the Swans as a diversion and barrier, and proceeded to set the trap.






Slowly I went down the steps net in hand and the swans edged closer, the Goose was watching warily as we all closed in. I slowly moved the almost invisible netting closer to the front of the goose until it was inches away and then pounced ! The rest is history as they say !


As I walked up the high street goose in hand, I wondered if poor old Sonny was behind the whole thing ! I put the goose in the garage to roost for the night, and will check it's wing in the morning or get it to the Vet or SSPCA. I am hoping it has no broken bones and that it's purely the flight feathers that are damaged, It could certainly swim underwater and seems pretty strong otherwise.

I put some water, sweetcorn and oats beside it, and was surprised to hear it hissing like a Swan, another thing I didn't know !





Pinkfoot geese migrate from Greenland via Iceland to Scotland for the winter, arriving in October.




On a positive note, I heard from the Procurator fiscals office today that no action will be taken over my run in with the (Punters) canoeists. I am glad that common sense has prevailed and that police time and taxpayers money will not be wasted on trivial pursuits !