BIRD NEWS:245

Here is another shot of the group of geese swimming past from my latest trip to Arundel, mid-October. Next up, a shot of some interestingly colored ducks.

Now we are back to the Bewicks swan mentioned in my last post. On today's trip, the adult pair were busy preening. In fact, nearly all the swans I passed were participating in this activity, so I assume preening is an autumnal activity for swans. Bite the feathers, flap the wings, then bite again...

I wandered through the wildlife garden area, where last trip I encountered goldfinches munching seed and flying into the tree. I managed to creep along in my new Reebok's quite silently and slowly, and this time did not scare them from the feeder.

You can see them up to much the same as the goldfinch back home - sitting on the feeder pole munching Niger seed. I have only one regular bird at present, but it is right outside my kitchen window.

Now we move on to the trumpeter swan family. Just like their cousin swans, preening was happening.