What a goose! Swan looks less than majestic after getting himself stuck in river well for five days

By GRAHAM SMITH

Stuck: A male mute swan stuck in a three-metre deep well on the River Avon at Warwick. It was rescued by the RSPCA after five days

A swan enjoying a casual swim along a river found itself in a spot of bother after becoming stuck in a well for five days.
The male mute swan fell three metres into the well on the River Avon at Warwick.
It was only five days later that a passer-by spotted the bird and called the RSPCA.
The unlucky swan was rescued by animal welfare officer Boris Lasserre, who waded into the well and placed him into a specialised bag.
Both the swan and Mr Lasserre were then lifted out to freedom by RSPCA inspector Ben Jones.
As the swan was underweight, he was taken to Wychbold Swan rescue near Droitwich, Worcestershire, for specialist treatment and care.
Inspector Jones said: 'We are so grateful to the member of the public who called about the swan being trapped - it was in an area with no source of food so may have perished down there without human intervention.

Safe and sound: As the swan was underweight, he was taken to Wychbold Swan rescue near Droitwich, Worcestershire, for specialist treatment and care

'We think he was most likely just swimming along on the water and before he knew what was happening he had fallen into the well and wasn’t able to get out.
'I am at present trying to get a telephone number for the land owner so I can advise them of what happened and suggest what can be done to prevent anything similar happening in the future.
'The good news is that the swan is now in the best possible place for recovery and once he is fully fit he will be released back to the wild.'

source: dailymail

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Ready, steady, goose! Spectacular sight as 1.3MILLION birds take flight at the same time - creating an instant migration

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Snow goose: The bird is known for its white plumage and black wingtips. It is also known as the blue goose because of a blue-grey variation of its colour. The white and blue 'morphs' of the species interbreed and can create offspring of either colour

Have a gander at this amazing image - taken as 1.3million geese spectacularly take flight all at once - creating the illusion it is snowing.

The stunning display of nature was captured by photographer Mike Hollingshead as he spent 22 days observing the huge gaggle at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, in northwestern Missouri, this spring.

In one image, every inch of the landscape as far as the eye can see is packed with the white and grey birds. Another shows the sky blackened by the geese taking flight as they return to their natural summer breeding ground of central Canada.


Artificial horizon: Photographer Mike Hollingshead captures the amazing moment when up to 1.3million snow geese continue their migration at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, in northwestern Missouri


The amazing spectacle occurs when gaggles of Snow Geese converge on the Central Flyway migration route - with the national park acting as an important stopover on the 70-hour, 2,500-mile flight.

Mr Hollingshead, 35, from Blair, Nebraska, quit his job at a factory in 2004 to take up storm chasing - where photographers follow large supercells that can form destructive tornadoes.


Don't bother counting: An estimated 1.3million snow geese gather at the reserve, which is a former hunting ground and now an important stop-over during their 2,500-mile flight to their breeding grounds in Canada


But he takes time out each spring to capture a storm of a different kind - the majestic migration of these wonderful birds.

He said: 'At times it can definitely look like there is a snow shower on the horizon. Your brain can be tricked into seeing nothing but the patterns of the birds flying because it can't see anything else.

source: dailymail

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Your goose is cooked: Canada variety to be placed on the menu and it's perfect with teriyaki sauce

By Valerie Elliott

Dinner: The goose could soon be sold in restaurants and served as an alternative to turkey for traditional Christmas dinner

The Canada goose, one of Britain’s most hated birds, could soon be served as an alternative to turkey for the traditional Christmas dinner.

Natural England – the Government’s advisers on wildlife – want the law changed to allow meat from the bird to be sold for the first time in Britain.

The birds, with their distinctive black heads, are a common sight in parks and on lakes but are seen as pests.


They can already be shot and eaten, or given as a gift to cook at home. However, it is illegal to sell them. Restaurateurs who serve them can be fined up to £5,000 and face six months jail.

Natural England will make its recommendation to the Law Commission, which is conducting a review of wildlife statutes. It is believed that the law may be changed in time for Christmas.


Natural England want the law changed to allow meat from the bird to be sold for the first time in Britain


Thousands of the birds are killed lawfully every year to prevent them from fouling parks. The low-flying geese are also the scourge of farmers and pilots as they feed on crops and are a hazard to planes.

Many in the countryside eat the gamey bird as a roast at home and don’t understand why it is not sold.

Natural England’s Matthew Heydon said: ‘It would make sense to allow them to be sold.’ But the RSPB’s Graham Madge called it ‘a dangerous development’.

Leading cook Prue Leith said the birds would be a useful addition to menus. ‘I would slow cook the legs, cut off the breast meat, grill it and serve with teriyaki sauce.’

source :dailymail

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Garcia the goose gets a nose job! Vets make fibreglass beak after freak accident

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Before: Garcia the goose had the top half of her orange beak sheared off in an accident


This farmyard goose has had a nose job after breaking off the top half of its orange beak in a freak accident.

Garcia was left with her tongue exposed after apparently becoming tangled up in a fence at her animal sanctuary.

Vets fitted a black prosthetic nose and she is back to eating as normal - even if the matt finish does make her stand out by the lake.


After: A fibreglass replica was fitted to the farmhouse goose under general anesthetic. Eventually the original will grow back and the 'false' £175 nose will be removed


There were fears the farmyard goose would have to be put down as she was left unable to fend for herself - but vets managed to create a false nose.

Bird expert Dr Alan Jones crafted the fibreglass beak before it was fitted while the animal was under general anaesthetic.

It was attached with wires which were placed in the goose's skull at the British Wildlife Centre in Newchapel, Surrey.


Back at home: Garcia with her new 'false' nose back with her friend Morgan back at the Happy Endings Animal Rescue Sanctuary


A metal framework was built for the new beak before it was filled with a fibreglass paste called Technovit.

Terry Kemp, a veterinary nurse and founder of the Happy Endings Animal Rescue Sanctuary in Hailsham, East Sussex, where Garcia lives said: 'We couldn't believe how great she looked after her nose job.

'Who would have thought you could save a goose's life with a piece of fibreglass - it's absolutely incredible. We are delighted.'

Garcia and her friend Morgan - named after actors on American police drama Criminal Minds - were taken in by Happy Endings four months ago after they had been dumped by their owner at a wildlife sanctuary.


source: dailymail

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I think we're going to need a bigger nest, dear: Canada geese left in charge of 40 goslings

By David Derbyshire

A pair of Canada geese take their very large brood for a swim along the River Thames at Caversham in Reading, Berkshire


If you think looking after two or three children is stressful enough, spare a thought for this over-worked parent.

The Canada goose has been left in charge of 40 goslings on the Thames in Reading, with only one helper to lend a wing.

Although so-called geese 'creches' - where the offspring of different parents get mixed up - are fairly common, experts say this is one of the largest and most understaffed they have seen.

Grahame Madge of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said: 'Canada geese are well known for forming creches.

'You tend to get them in areas where you have quite a large number of nesting geese in a small area.

'The broods get mixed up and you get a few adults looking after a large number of goslings.'

Canada geese were introduced here in the 17th century.

Like swans, they are monogamous and will only seek out a new mate if their partner dies.


source: dailymail

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£100m building project halted after GOOSE lays eggs on site... so builders give nest its own security guard

By Daily Mail Reporter

A goose has laid three eggs right in the middle of a building site, bringing work to a halt. The bird has been given her own bodyguard to protect her and her brood


Work on a £100million building development ground to a halt yesterday - because of a goose.

The bird has laid three eggs right in the middle of the building site and has been given her own bodyguard to protect her and her brood

Security guard Jake Fielding has been assigned to give the Canada Goose 24-hour protection and takes his duties extremely seriously.

The development that is being delayed because of the goose is known as the Cube - which was meant to be the finishing touch to an exclusive area of Birmingham.

It will contain a boutique hotel and residential apartments and is the final phase of luxury development The Mailbox, in an affluent area of the city.

Work on the Cube, which will be overlooking a canal, was expected to finish soon - but the arrival of the goose has delayed the whole operation.

Contractors Fitzgerald have been forced to hold off on any work on the pavements, where the goose has got settled.

A spokesman from Fitzgerald admitted that the goose was a source of both amusement and annoyance.

He said: 'The goose has been her for about three weeks now, and she's settling in quite nicely, which is unfortunate for us.

'But Jake Fielding, who is guarding the bird is doing a great job of keeping her safe and hopefully we won't be waiting too long for the eggs to hatch.


The development that is being delayed is known as the Cube - which was meant to be the finishing touch to an exclusive area of Birmingham


'We try to be very environmentally friendly, and don't want to do anything to disturb the bird.

'The goose has meant we have had to put off finishing the pavements around the bird and its eggs for three weeks.

'We have been able to work on other parts of the site in the meantime so we are not losing money but it is a pain that it has delayed the project.

'It is frustrating that we're being held up but I'm sure work will be able to continue as usual once the eggs have hatched.

'It wouldn't be a good idea to move her before her goslings have hatched.'

Cllr Mike Whitby said of the Cube back in 2006 before the goose incident that it would break all the boundaries of what has been achieved in Birmingham so far.

He said: 'Our city is a city of the future and as a futuristic building with phenomenal foresight in style and design, it is indicative of our plans in how we see Birmingham developing.

'The Mailbox has already raised the bar in the quality and calibre of our architecture and the retail offerings, worldwide brand names and stylish restaurants have given Birmingham a contemporary profile rivalling the capitals of Europe.

'The Cube will help to elevate us onto a global stage.'


source: dailymail

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