As the COVID-19 lockdown continues, I’ve become increasingly excited by the abundance of wildlife on my doorstep. As I finally have the time, I’ve been getting outside every day for at least a few hours to see what I can spot. Some of the birds and wildfowl that I see frequently in one of my favourite areas, where there are multiple man-made lakes, are: a pair mute swans, a pair of great cormorants, Canada geese, greylag geese, Egyptian geese, eurasian coots, moorhens, great crested grebes, mallards, tufted ducks and grey herons.
To most people, spring means wildlife baby season. I’m not sure I know anyone who wouldn’t feel a spark of joy at seeing a wobbly fawn finding its legs, or fluffy chicks trailing their parents. I was definitely excited when some of the local greylag and Canada geese hatched some adorable goslings. However, until I spent a significant amount of time observing individuals I didn’t quite realise how difficult it is for them to successfully raise their young.
While the local pair of swans is not usually successful in hatching cygnets, the male is extremely territorial and is determined to clear the lake of any threats or competition for resources. For hours yesterday, I witnessed a battle of wills between this male swan and two pairs of Canada goose parents (each with only three remaining chicks, with seven cumulatively already having been lost to the swan). The swan expended valuable energy taking flight to chase the geese off of the lake. I’ll not soon forget the booming whistle of its powerful wingbeats as it soared across the water. The gander (male goose) seemed fearless and took the brunt of the beating from the swan, attempting to lead it away from the goslings. The entire time, the geese communicated with each other. However, the swan was relentless. Each time I thought exhaustion would cause him to stop for a while, he kept going. Both species were determined to protect the next generation.
Having returned today, no goslings seem to remain and the adult geese have taken the opportunity to move to another, safer lake. It seems as though the swan was successful in his persistence this year. As stressful as it was to watch, it was fascinating to observe the dynamics between a native and an invasive species that occupy similar niches. I certainly gained a newfound respect for all wildfowl parents inhabiting the area, having witnessed the tenacity in which they defend their mates and young.
Geese are not the only species that face difficulties when raising their young here. In previous years, the swans have lost cygnets to red foxes when traversing over land to reach the other lakes. Other threats to smaller species’ young, such as eurasian coots, are pike and grey herons.