Egyptian Geese: scruffy gosling

Almost strokably fluffy in large!

The Eagle Pond Egyptian goslings were all looking pretty scruffy today because the wind had blown all of the debris on the pond over to the side that they prefer, so when they got out of the water they were covered in the pollen, leaves, and algae that rests on the surface... This one was actually in better order than most; many of the others had (more) pronounced brown/yellow patches on their fronts.

I managed to get very close to them today: the parents seem much calmer than they did with their last brood, and don't honk or hiss nearly as readily (unless a dog is near). This was my closest gosling snap, and I was so close that I could easily have snaffled it up and into my gosling camera bag were I not more restrained. Much regret: I could be holding my own adorable gosling right now... Sigh
I wouldn't be able to live with that guilt; I'll make do with my pictures.

There are also newish moorhenlings on Eagle Pond; they're not "brand new" by the look of things (perhaps a week or so old), but today was the first time I'd seen them. They're super-skittish, and I imagine they've been safely hidden in the long grasses thus far. Watch this space!