A day at the seaside

When I went down to lonely Mussel Beach to explore what the low tide revealed I found two families there already. A couple with a small child were examining the rock pools while a larger family, with six young ones, were  ambling in the shallows. For a while they settled on a seaweedy platform to snooze and watch the waves splash around them. Dad kept a wary eye upon the beach allowing Mum to have a few minutes' peace. The babies sank down like fluffy scones and some of them aired their feet. After a while they set off on a foraging expedition, rummaging in the pools and picking green seaweed  strands off the rocks until it dangled from their beaks like spaghetti. While mother was occupied in educating her young, father patrolled the strand line, alert to any danger.

The other family were also having enjoying themselves and I could hear their delighted exclamations, and occasional wails, as they stubbed their toes exploring  the  wet wonderworld below the tide line until the waves took it back again.
I gathered a few mussels for my supper.

The first family were of course Canada geese, which compete, along with gulls and feral pigeons, for the title the most reviled birds in Britain. The  Daily Mail once  declared
"If Canada geese were human, they would be lounging around all day doing nothing, claiming every welfare benefit in the book, driving their neighbours out of town and notching up ASBOs around the clock."

Like the other scum of the bird world, Canada geese like to congregate in urban areas  (parks, lakes, rivers), make a mess and get in people's way. Just like people in fact.

More goose pics in extras if you like them as much as I do.