River Wye from Wilton Bridge

Last week, as we walked along the River Wye with two of our young grandchildren, we climbed up on to the medieval bridge at Wilton. As we gazed downstream we all started counting and came up with the total of thirteen canoes. What we didn't spot was the two paddle boarders. What we didn't count was the Canada Geese and from the photograph I make it to be ninety three. Then there were four people enjoying the sand and shingle at the river's edge and two mute swans standing in the shallows. These two were soon joind by a third that flew from behind us, climbed to go over the bridge and narrowly missed me and my grandson. We both ducked as we felt the wind from its wings, and wondered why it didn't just fly through one of the bridge arches.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

An adventurous Canada Goose

Canada geese are pretty widespread in the UK. Many large stretches of water have a flock, and many people consider them a pest. They are an introduced species that has flourished and some say they have usurped the habitat of native species. Introduced species often have to adapt to the particular cicumstances of their new home and, prior to taking this photograph, I would not have counted the Canada goose as one of those. But perhaps the ability to land on a roof ridge and stand there at length surveying the surroundings is an evolutionary adaptation in the making. It's certainly something I've never seen before.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P900