The Clerk in the Country

Friday 13th May 2022

Moving home

On my way back from putting some YPS mail into the village post box this morning, I was surprised to see, emerging from my gateway, a family of geese.  Mr Goose was in the lead, honking a stream of instructions, Mrs Goose carefully brought up the rear, and between them scampered half a dozen fluffy excited goslings.

The adults were an attractive buff colour, rather smaller than Canada geese and with shorter necks.  If any reader can identify them from this brief description, please get in touch.  I’m afraid I failed to note details of beaks or feet, as my attention was on the road in case I was needed to warn any approaching vehicles.

But Mr Goose knew exactly what he was doing and led his family tidily along the right side of the road (facing oncoming traffic in the approved way), until at a point opposite my neighbours’ gateway they crossed smartly and headed towards the garden and beyond it the river.  The male obviously knew the route and, I suspect, had reconnoitred it earlier, perhaps from the air.  His military planning should come as no surprise, considering that geese are capable of making international flights in V-formation.