[goosepimple]

Oh dear, all this melting snow has our river thundering out of control.  Heard Steinbachers calling this morning too early for breakfast, so got up to find only 1 left - others have been swept downstream.  Had to run through other fields to find them.  They're there, in shock, but have seen me. I can see they're too scared to get into the river again.  Couple of Muscovy trapped at the sides of the river too but they'll fly up eventually.  Geese won't get back upstream until it settles - probably about 2 days if we're lucky.  The poor goose left is calling constantly (can hear her while typing this) she's in a right tizzy poor thing - the others can't hear her because of the noise of the river which is deafening at the moment.  Hope it settles down soon, don't want to lose my geese but it's going to be a real trouble getting them back.  Wish I didn't get so stressed about stressed livestock, know I won't sleep until they're back.      

[HesterF]

Can you not get to them and transport them back in boxes or something? Probably a several person job but may be better than leaving them there. If they're freaked out anyway, it'll just be a little bit more....

[Anke]

Are they on the ground? What about getting to them at dusk?

[goosepimple]

I've got down to a nearby field and thrown them some bread.  I'm hoping they will hear the remaining goose and come back up but they won't be able to do that until the river is calmer, at which point I may be able to get under the bridge and usher them up.  If I try and get them just now they will continue further away downstream so I will just have to sit it out.  It's sunny now so hopefully if it doesn't rain too much over night they may have a chance tomorrow.  The one that's left could always try and join them of course    and they could all merrily paddle their way to freedom  . 
 
Here's a couple of pics just taken.  We did lose a male muscovy early summer to this, thought drowned, and he returned about 2 months later.

[harry]

why dont 2 of you lead them home with a bucket of pellets etc...... geese are easy to move like sheep...one in front with the bucket one behind with a long stick....i did that when my turkeys went for a walk up the road to a smallholding of lettuces.

[jaykay]

Oh no - I hope they get back soon - you couldn't lure them to walk back somehow?

I nearly lost my call ducks, my beck looked lilke your river - if they'd been washed into the main river they'd have drowned I'm sure. Fortunately they made a mad effort to get into the last eddy before the beck joins the river, and made it 

[Daisys Mum]

I do hope you manage to get them back, I am around this afternoon if you need a hand just give me a call and I can pop over.

[goosepimple]

Yes, I'm very surprised they didn't drown on the rocks at the waterwheel - the rocks are our boundary - no geese or ducks go through them so we don't have to put up a cross river fence but obviously they've been swept across the top.  If I walk them up    they will have to cross the A697 which would not be the plan as this would involve police and traffic control.  Rain today and the river is less swollen but will have to wait until Saturday I think and if that's no good then OH and myself will have to try and go in there but it's deep at that point.  At least they've stayed put overnight.  The lonesome that is left is still yelling her head off poor thing.  If we attempt rescue I think I'll get the kids to video it.

[goosepimple]

Thanks Anne, our replies clashed.  It's not a simple exercise of catching geese unfortunately 

[HelenVF]

Blimey!  Hope you get them back without too much trouble!

Helen

[Anke]

Oh, just be careful with going into the river... but it would be a good piece of news for the BBC website if you would film the geese being "escorted" by the police across the 697...

[goosepimple]

   yes, or one of those funny video programmes 
 
Just heard the lonesome one being answered - at last they can hear her.  Hopefully they'll stick around until the weekend. 

[jaykay]

It's good that they're calling to her. Maybe they'll fly back? (that would be too easy wouldn't it!)

[goosepimple]

   yes, there seems easy answers until you see where they are exactly.  Once they can get out in to the middle flow of the river (when it calms) they should be able to see her upstream on our land - but they have to be able to climb up through the bedrocks to get up and with their big clumsy feet.....


Flying skills not good enough to get them under the bridge (the bridge over the river is the A697) or over it.  The Muscovy ducks would be able to - there is a drake and a duck chumming the geese (same fate) but they are too scared to try it just now I think, river still roaring.


It's stressing me out this lonesome girl, I can hear her all the time I'm typing, she's just not stopping calling out poor thing.  If she tries to join them she may drown. 

[Penninehillbilly]

Is there no-where you could corner them, fashion something like a crook and at least get a couple home?
Are they wing clipped?
My embdens can fly if they get a good take off run.
one wouldn't come under the electric fence (propped up plenty high enough) from the big field, but took off, straight over her own field and into next one over.  I went to call her, she must have worked it out, took off again and landed in the right field. they can't normally fly far, this was about 150mtrs.
There again, I suppose that's it's a bit risky near a main road!