~~
There they came again, the pair of Egyptian geese, as they did every morning and late afternoon since I had moved into my new home, strolling up the roadside, across the road and over to my garden, the veritable picture of a Derby and Joan. He would walk a little behind and off to the side, with his neck stretched, keeping a watchful eye for anything out of the ordinary. She was always on the lookout for titbits which she snatched with hardly a pause.
One day last week they had me in stitches. They had been around for about half an hour when suddenly he (Derby) took off, soaring through the tree branches and disappearing into the distance. Joan cackled softly to herself, turning her head this way and that for a few minutes before continuing to busy herself pecking on the ground. After about fifteen minutes I turned away to go inside when I heard him land and, my goodness, did she let him have it! She went on and on cackle-honk, cackle-honk, cackle-honk, not too loud but quite loud enough so he could not fail to know how upset she was. Off they went down the path and out of sight with Joan complaining all the while.
The thing is… I haven’t seen Derby since. Joan still visits every day – alone. Has he found another mate? Was her nagging just too much for him? I would love to know.
~~
PS – Jake is still around and is looking well.
~~
http://www.helium.com/items/1007651-wild-bird-species-the-egyptian-goose
©DGA 04 November 2011 07:09
Adeeyoyo's Blog 
04/11/2011 at 7:38 am
Poor man has probably gone to the pub …
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04/11/2011 at 7:58 am
Wonder if a couple of beers will do the trick, lol! 😆
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04/11/2011 at 12:54 pm
Maybe Joan nagged Derby into leaving because she wants a new partner. Ya never know.
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04/11/2011 at 1:19 pm
Yip, I was wondering…
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04/11/2011 at 1:11 pm
I had Fatima and Abdul around for ages. I think they had their babies down at the spruit over the wall, then they loved my roof in out-of-baby-season
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04/11/2011 at 1:24 pm
I have just heard that Derby has been around (it’s just that I haven’t seen him). Alone. After Joan has left. I think that they are probably taking turns sitting on eggs. Time will tell… Hope they bring the goslings around after they’ve hatched. Btw, according to the link on my post they can be quite nasty when they have babies.
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04/11/2011 at 2:37 pm
I expect that he got Goose Bumps and went off to see the Quack!
Thank you so much for doing me that kindness..I think I am back to normal now
love P
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04/11/2011 at 3:00 pm
It is so nice to see you back here again, Patrecia! I hope your problems are sorted. Anyway it will give you something to blog about! 😀
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04/11/2011 at 5:13 pm
Bwahaha, goose bumps! and off to see the Quack! Brilliant, Pat, brilliant!
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04/11/2011 at 3:22 pm
ha nice exploration into their relationship…i dunno…the nagging may be a bit much for me…smiles.
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04/11/2011 at 3:41 pm
I think they are hatching eggs most likely. Hope I see the chicks! And according to the link they mate for life so he will just have to grin and bear the nagging, lol!
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04/11/2011 at 4:18 pm
Don’t they mate for life? Maybe he’s away on business…’It could happen.’ Or,maybe a Bachelor party in Johannesburg with a flock of his mates.
They say (and so I’ve heard) that the “Drake Club” there, is perfect for such “get togethers” lol
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04/11/2011 at 5:07 pm
Yes, they do mate for life, Jack. I wondered if, perhaps, the goose was a gander, but no definitely not. Bachelor party could be on the cards… I have just had both of them here again so they aren’t sitting on eggs – yet.
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04/11/2011 at 4:54 pm
Well I think you have the answer. Egging time. For a while I forgot you were in springtime, Denise.
By the way, I award the best reply award to Patrecia, who thought he had got goose bumps and went to see the Quack. That made me lol
John
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04/11/2011 at 5:04 pm
Brilliant reply from Patrecia, I agree! I only noticed it after I had commented.
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04/11/2011 at 7:46 pm
It’s ever the way with me too, Denise. By the way, you do live in an interesting place, or perhaps you just have an eye for the interesting.
Good post, Denise.
John
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04/11/2011 at 9:08 pm
Thanks, John. I like watching the wildlife around me and find their behaviour very interesting. 🙂
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04/11/2011 at 4:59 pm
He’s no doubt gone fishing. 😀
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04/11/2011 at 5:08 pm
Maybe that was the answer. After all, who could blame him after all that nagging, wanting some peace and quiet.
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04/11/2011 at 5:00 pm
Poor Derby. Or is it poor Joan? – They probably both think they’re in the right. 😉
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04/11/2011 at 5:10 pm
Ruth they’ve obviously forgiven each other. They were here a couple of minutes ago and left together, waddling across the road homeward. 🙂
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04/11/2011 at 5:26 pm
The more you intently you watch animals,the more you are amazed of their human like behaviors (which you never thought they could possess).
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04/11/2011 at 5:47 pm
So true, Epizeuxis. I think sometimes they have the same feelings we do…
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04/11/2011 at 8:45 pm
Classic! It does seem she nagged him into the arms … wings … of a mistress!
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04/11/2011 at 9:11 pm
Which begs the question, Col., if they mate for life and are unhappy, one with the other, what do they do? Fight for life too? Perhaps humans can learn a lesson from them…
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04/11/2011 at 11:14 pm
Denise, your mind works like mine. I hope the poor fellow is well and not nagged to death.
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04/11/2011 at 11:30 pm
Hi Andra, nice to have a like-minded person on the team. Joan is either anxious or possessive. When they left, Derby disappeared from her view into a small hollow, whereupon Joan, calling out, rushed after him and only slowed down when he was in her line of sight once more. And I’m talking about only a few feet!
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04/11/2011 at 11:23 pm
I do believe they mate for life, so whatever their problem was, it looks like they have made up, and are friends again! Perhaps she wants to start a family and he doesn’t!
I love watching nature, we can learn so much from them.
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04/11/2011 at 11:34 pm
Yes we can, Barb. It should be interesting to see how this plays out. Probably this will be their first breeding season and after hatching and raising the first chicks, they will settle down.
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04/11/2011 at 11:35 pm
I love this very funny observation, Adeeyoyo 😀
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04/11/2011 at 11:40 pm
So do I, Bb! It reminds me of the hours I spent on Fb watching the eagles in their nest taking turns to hatch their eggs…
https://adeeyoyo.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/eagles-hatching-on-live-video-stream/
It was only in April this year and it seems like years ago!
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