I've been sitting at my desk watching Harriet, the goose, sneaking behind the lavender as she heads off towards the gate. She shouldn't be in this area at all. The geese have an acre of grass, plus a large pond to enjoy, but it's not enough for Harriet, the matriarch, who loves to go walkabout...
More than once, she's found her way out through (or over) the fence into forbidden areas and she's even left the smallholding altogether. When she does this, I have to go and get her back, driving her along the lane or picking her up and carrying her (when I can catch her first.)
Her offspring can be trouble, too. Here's a daughter deciding to nest on the edge of the bonfire, of all places. Even if the fire isn't alight, this is also where the sheep like to sit, because the lingering heat keeps them warm at night. So they aren't pleased to have a nesting and protective goose there...
It's the breeding season and so the geese are very lively at the moment. And it doesn't help their mood that there are so many wild geese around. The recent heavy rain has turned the smallholding and fields beyond into a watery landscape and this is attracting in plenty of wild geese. Skeins of greylag and canada geese fly over regularly. Here are two visitors to the smallholding...
As you see, they don't get a welcome from my own geese and they're chased off quick back to the fields. But there are always more to follow...
After the latest visitors have gone, I went to look at the pond to see how high it is. It is high, which is a good sign for the coming spring and summer (when it should start to drop). I've looked along the edge to see if there are any early spring wildflowers - I'd love to see more native plants along the bank, but very little seems to grow here. The flowers I do plant there don't seem to thrive either, like kingcups. This may be because there are too many trees around, creating a lot of shade - or it may be because the geese, moorhens and ducks trample or eat them.
I'd also like to plant some wildflowers along the new fast flowing stream we created here last year. This comes from water pumped from the pond and circulated around (so that it falls back into the pond). The area where the water first pours out is the obvious place for planting, but this is also the area where Harry likes to come and drink (why he prefers to drink from here rather than his clean dog bowl inside with fresh tap water I've no idea). Harry would crush anything growing around here if I planted it...
Pulmonaria would be my first choice for planting here. I do already have a small clump growing nearby but I would like to plant some more. Pulmonaria is loved by several pollinators and is the favourite flower of one pollinator in particular - the hairy-footed flower bee. This bee with the wonderful name is like a black bumblebee with hairy legs and feet - and it flies from late February to June. When I plant my pulmonaria, I'll be watching the plants closely to see if the little hairy-footed flower bee pays them a visit this spring.
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| Hairy-footed flower bee (photo: Wildlife Trusts) |
Fantastic Photos, Thanks for Sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteWhen I've been outside yesterday and today the pulmonaria has had bees swarming all over it. Now I'm wondering if they are hairy footed bees. I shall have to look more closely tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the geese pics.. how I miss having those guys around. Such characters.
It's been on my mind to update on the geese, and they've been so vocal this week I couldn't ignore them anymore! Thanks Jessica.
DeleteIts probably the type of soil Wendy. Kingcups definitely grow under a tree canopy as I know for several lots that are successful each year.
ReplyDeleteYou could well be right, Roy. I probably need to come up with a plan for encouraging more wildflowers around the pond.
DeleteLike rusty duck, I'll have to examine my bees on the pulmonaria! I think your goose likes the warm soil from the bonfire as well as the sheep, I think I would too if I had to live outside!
ReplyDeleteI agree! The sheep in particular get as close to the fire as they can in cold weather, when it's warm ashes and when it's alight, too. I used to worry a little but after nearly 15 years I realise they know what they're doing.
DeleteLove the geese photos, your own geese sound like such characters guarding their territory from those pesky wild geese.I have to admit that my favourites geese are the greylags I don't know why. Our heather was full of bees yesterday, I was weeding in the garden and one side of me was the constant buzzing of bees and on the other the croaking of frogs in the pond:)
ReplyDeleteI love the greylags too. They seem to mix with the canada geese well, I've sometimes had a greylag and a canada goose wandering around together as a pair here.
DeleteThe sound of the bees buzzing in the first warm spring sunshine is a real pleasure, isn't it?
Love the geese photos Wendy - they sound such characters :) We have a couple of clumps of pulmonaria here and I'm always checking them for various bees. None yet here this year though.
ReplyDeletere: the last post and your reply to me. Have been trying to persuade OH to visit Ryton Gardens with me as I think he would like it there. So if we go later in the year I will get more photos of the biodynamic part of their gardens.
That will be really interesting Caroline. I look forward to the photos. I'd like to see another biodynamic garden and to learn more about the approach. It does fascinate me!
DeleteI haven't seen any bees at all on the pulmonaria yet. Hopefully they'll appreciate the new plants.
We used to have neighbours that had geese in their garden. As a child it was quite frightening to go through their garden gate, as they were such good guards. Our pulmonaria is still not yet in flower either. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI think my geese are like all geese when they spot intruders and give a noisy warning. They're also able to stick up for themselves. All the other animals give the geese a wide berth here and I don't think there's any question of visiting geese having control. They always look nervous!
DeleteI'm so glad you are back blogging, love reading your posts. Granddad had Geese roaming the farm when I was little.
ReplyDeleteHad a bumble bee whiz through the garden to day, first one I have seen. Love all your photo's.
Amanda xx
Thanks so much Amanda. I saw my first bumblebee at the weekend too. The different bees are starting to fly about now. I just hope I can get those photos of them!
DeleteI love pulmonaria's as well as the bees, especially the lovely dark blue one. I've seen a few bees around but need to look more closely to identify the different varieties.
ReplyDeleteWhat a strange place to have a nest!!
I'm hoping to get pulmonaria really established here so that I have an area buzzing with bees in the spring sunshine. I love the dark blue as well.
DeleteMy geese can pick strange places to start a nest but they usually give up on them quickly and go back to their favourite, safer sites!
Harriet seems aptly named she definitely has a mind of her own - what a character.
ReplyDeleteI love that her daughter is following in her footsteps and is going to nest on the edge of the bonfire regardless of a great big sheep lying next to it - I can guess who will be the winner and who will be the looser.
I do enjoy watching the geese - they all have different characters. They do all think they're in charge, though, and the sheep have a developed a healthy respect for their beaks!
DeleteLoved hearing about all the activities of the geese at your small-holding, they are such intelligent and entertaining birds :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you can encourage more wildflowers on your land and it was interesting reading about the Hairy-footed flower bee. I do have Pulmonaria in our garden though I think Hairy-foots are even less common up here in Yorkshire compared to Essex. Still you never know :-)
Hope you are well :-)
I'm not sure about the range of this bee but I believe you're right and it isn't so common where you are. I wonder if climate change means that it will move further north.
DeleteI'd love more wildflowers to establish naturally here but they won't come from the surrounding arable fields as there are very few growing there.
Hope all is well with you, too.
Gosh, when you say Harriet has an acre of land I ponder on how much you have!!! I would love to keep geese, they are such characters! I enjoyed seeing Harriet and her rogue daughter and was smiling at the thought of her taking over the bonfire, the sheep at the rescue get pushed around by the geese too.
ReplyDeleteHow many geese do you have? Do you let them breed or move the eggs? We have to remove all chicken, etc eggs at the rescue or we'd be overrun.
Hairy footed bees, what a fabulous name! Marvelous post, I did enjoy it.xxx
I have 4 geese, formerly 5 - my errant gander has moved to the farm next door. We have a couple of acres and the geese are kept on about half of the land, but of course Harriet believes she should go everywhere! She is a great escape artist. We bred from our original pair but no more now! We give the eggs away. Thanks Dina
DeleteWow! Four geese with an acre of land! If you want any more, or turkeys/ peacocks etc, you know who to call!
ReplyDeleteHaha - I would love to re-home lots of birds/animals from a rescue but here the geese already share this land with the sheep (and I've more male sheep coming) plus there is the visiting wildlife. The grass won't keep any more, sadly, especially in a dry year. If I win the lottery....
DeleteI love reading about your animals! I've seen very few bees around here so far, though in fairness most of my pulminaria are tucked away by the fence at the back of the border, so I wouldn't notice bees - hairy feet or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen too many bees flying either this year. A couple of days ago in the sun my honeybees were buzzing around the hive, but the cold weather is back again and so there's no sign. I've only seen a handful of other bees, too. Thanks Janet
DeleteWe've wild Canadas on the lake nesting In the island in the middle. They come evey year. Used to have greylags as a child and one year raised goslings in the bath :-). I didn't know hairy footed bees like Pulmonaria. I've just rescued my clump and replanted it so am tempted to get some more now and see what turns up. Love the pic of the sheep on the bonfire edge! And our dogs eschew clean water for old and muddy too! X
ReplyDeleteRaising goslings in the bath sounds quite a story! Mine grew up outside but there was always the risk of predators. It was relief when they were big enough to look after themselves.
DeleteI don't know why dogs turn their noses up at tap water and go for the muddy stuff. Tap water is good enough for me but not for Harry, it seems!
Raising goslings in the bath sounds quite a story! Mine grew up outside but there was always the risk of predators. It was relief when they were big enough to look after themselves.
DeleteI don't know why dogs turn their noses up at tap water and go for the muddy stuff. Tap water is good enough for me but not for Harry, it seems!
I just love that photo of geese and sheep! A lovely post - and like others I shall be looking at the bees around the pulmonaria more closely now.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue. I just wish the bees were able to fly more right now. They were everywhere yesterday, but the weather today and the forecast for the rest of this weekend means they probably won't be out and about.
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