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I rescued an animal today! Probably…
The UK has its fair share of canals. I like canals. They cut through urban life offering an escape back to nature and are teaming with wildlife.
Canal towpaths are perfect for running. They’re easy underfoot — until late spring when the goslings hatch and then I’m doing a ballet to avoid trouble. Canada goose are the most visible bird living here all year round. They gather in groups and are rather docile around humans until the little yellow fluffballs arrive and then it’s mayhem.
Mute swans are a less common sight on the routes I run. This year a pair chose to nest in a safe but visible spot which was wonderful to witness. Swan nests are huge mounds of dirt, twigs, and coke bottles, apparently.
This morning I found dad-swan charging back and forth across the water. He stopped to peer into an overflow trench around 2–3 feet deep aside the canal. As I ran closer I saw a young bird has fallen in. It was older than a fluffball but still covered in muddied down. Larger than a duck, for scale. It was still too young to fly out of its predicament. At first I thought it was one of the cygnets. Mum-swan was in the nest with the others not far away.
I don’t speak bird but dad-swan seemed more aggressive than concerned. As I got closer he paddled a short distance away to observe.
I went down on my stomach and slowly reach under the guard rails wondering how painful a finger-pecking would be. I kept my ears open for a charge attack. The young bird didn’t flinch. It allowed me to reach under its belly and lift it up.
Before I could place it safely on the ground it attempted a Loony Tunes escape by running in the air. This unbalanced and forced me to tip it sideways, thankfully onto the stones just below water level and not back into the trench. It then frantically hopped not into the water, but up onto the towpath and quickly waddled behind me into the grass.
As I got back to my feet dad-swan returned to investigate and looked satisfied the young bird was gone before returning to his nest. It took me a minute to find the young bird now resting deep in the brambles. It was only then did I realise this might not be a swan but a goose. It was large enough to have outgrown the distinct yellow colouring.
I left it where it was hiding. My presence would only cause further distress. It was not physically injured otherwise I might have called the RSPCA who can rescue wildlife (RSPB don’t; common misconception).
I don’t go running with my phone anyway so I returned later to check and take photos. The young bird had vanished from its hiding spot. I’m almost certain it was a goose now after seeing this family not far from the scene.
It’s funny, despite being so common I’ve never once seen an actual goose nest. I’ve no idea where they hide them.
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