We had heard that Goosanders can sometimes be seen in this area, and I had hoped to see them. Today our wish came true with a huge bonus. Our neighbours were working in the garden when suddenly a hen goosander was leading nine chicks through the garden!
Goosanders nest in trees and the family were now making their way from the oak woodland above our houses through the garden, across a (quiet) road, across an expanse of grassland to the River Elan.
She did panic a bit coming into contact with so many people. She flew up onto the fence and then into our garden,leaving the chicks, but she could still hear them and cicled the houseto get back to them. The gardeners had retired to give her space, so she collected the family and continued the march. Within minutes the chicks were secreted away, the journey safely completed.
We’re having a good year for birds. We had a garden warbler in our forest garden. A tree pipet in the woodland, redstarts, white throats and blackcaps. So far this year I have not seen flycatchers but a pair nested in the car port last year, and knowing that they like to re-use tit nests and both our tit boxes have been used this year we hope to see them in the garden soon.
