Early Arrival of Egyptian Goose Goslings 2016
Winter 2015-16 has been a strange one with varying temperatures almost daily. Painshill park in Cobham has always been home to many types of ducks and fowl including Egyptian Geese.
Egyptian Goose and Goslings .Painshill Park in Cobham. Copyright Chris Bushe 2016
A few facts worth knowing about them are that they are not actually geese at all but a cross between a goose and a duck. It has many duck-like characteristics, but it also has some external goose-like traits. It is the most widespread of all the African waterfowl. These old-world shelducks were domesticated by the ancient Egyptians, and were considered sacred , and appeared in much of their artwork. The Romans and the Greeks also kept Egyptian Geese in domestic flocks.They can breed all year around, but usually breed in the spring or at the end of a dry season. It thus is somewhat surprising to see baby goslings in early February.The British population dates back to the 18th century, though only formally added to the British list in 1971 and are found mainly in East Anglia, in parkland with lakes. It was officially declared a pest in the U.K. in 2009. There is little surprise that Painshill Park has become home to them over very many years.
Egyptian Goose and Goslings .Painshill Park in Cobham. Copyright Chris Bushe 2016
Egyptian Goose and Goslings .Painshill Park in Cobham. Copyright Chris Bushe 2016
Egyptian Goose and Goslings .Painshill Park in Cobham. Copyright Chris Bushe 2016
chris1957
Arcticterntalk.org 
One of the pairs up here in Snettisham, Norfolk have just been spotted by us today with 3 adorable goslings! Thankfully we had our action camera with us. Beautiful!
Alex.
Thats cute! Hope they all survive. We went back a few days later and one of the goslings was missing……sad!