Goose rearranging swan's nest (1 Viewer)

[iefe]

I saw a greylag on a swan nest, moving sticks around a occasionally sitting on the eggs. The swans were close by but unbothered. What was happening?
Video here quality is bad due to YouTube

 

[K3ZD]

I think those ducks are just drinking water.

 

[Bewick]

I think you linked us the wrong vid, this vid is off two mallards (male and female) feeding.

 

[iefe]

I think those ducks are just drinking water.

This is the correct video

 

[iefe]

I think you linked us the wrong vid, this vid is off two mallards (male and female) feeding.

Gosh thanks for telling me. I've linked the correct video above

 

[delia todd]

Where did you see it iefe? It looks rather like a Swan Goose but wait for others to chime in.

 

[iefe]

Where did you see it iefe? It looks rather like a Swan Goose but wait for others to chime in.

It was in Yorkshire, England. It wasn't a snow goose but a greylag

 

[delia todd]

LOL I think you misread my post iefe... I said Swan Goose and gave you a link to the Opus page here on the species:

If it is, it's probably escaped from a collection or farmyard. These birds often have Greylag genes. It's very difficult for me to see detail on the bird, which is why I suggested waiting for others to chime in; the guys here can often work things out from the tiniest of details.

 

[iefe]

LOL I think you misread my post iefe... I said Swan Goose and gave you a link to the Opus page here on the species:

If it is, it's probably escaped from a collection or farmyard. These birds often have Greylag genes. It's very difficult for me to see detail on the bird, which is why I suggested waiting for others to chime in; the guys here can often work things out from the tiniest of details.

No I read it correctly but typed the wrong word. Still not a swan goose. This was filmed at a place with hundreds of wild greylags and I was close enough to the nest to confidently assert that it was, in fact, a greylag

 

[Southern Viking]

Yeah as OP says it's a Greylag, doesn't even show any Swan Goose influence as far as I can see in the vid.

As to why it seems to be rearranging a swan's nest, who knows? A few years ago (might still be there) there was a white farmyard type Greylag in Midhurst that seemed to think it was a security guard/nanny for the local breeding pair of Egyptian Geese. Not that Egyptian Geese need extra security, but they seemed to put up with it,

 

[iefe]

Yeah as OP says it's a Greylag, doesn't even show any Swan Goose influence as far as I can see in the vid.

As to why it seems to be rearranging a swan's nest, who knows? A few years ago (might still be there) there was a white farmyard type Greylag in Midhurst that seemed to think it was a security guard/nanny for the local breeding pair of Egyptian Geese. Not that Egyptian Geese need extra security, but they seemed to put up with it,

Didn't expect any more replies to this thread but I did email a goose expert (Prof. Sonia Kleindofer of Flinders university) and this was her helpful response