Geese Fight for Possession of the Lake
Photos: 23 February 2016
Text: 20 March 2026
It was around 10:25 on a Tuesday morning and on seeing the goings on outside I rushed upstairs to get my camera and begin photographing the scene. It's a shame I was not taking video but I wasn't familiar enough with the camera to do that in a hurry.
We'd had three geese on the lake and another pair had arrived and it was clear they were shaping up for a dispute over occupancy. We know that Canada Geese get very territorial when it gets to the nesting season, but I reckon it's a couple of weeks early for that.
At first the resident threesome retreat from the newcomers. I assume that the third is one remaining gosling of last year's brood. The young normally get chased away once the adults begin to work on this year's nest.
Then the threesome break apart and there is some rapid movement...
...before they re-form again.
Then the newcomers make another attack with their typical head low and neck extended posture. Once again the threesome break apart.
Things get physical as the threesome adopt a more assertive response.
Suddenly the tables seem to turn as all three of the resident birds turn on the newcomers who rapidly retreat...
... making their way through to the area behind the holiday cottages....
...where I notice there is also a swan, who is ignoring the geese.
Three minutes later the geese are all behind our house again.
This time there seems to be an agreed stand off and the final picture I take is an almost duplicate of the first.
