რუხი ბატი: Greylag Goose (anser anser)

Greylag goose is a bird with very strong character. What amazes me the most? Its grace when swimming, its emperor posture and a monotonic buttock swing; but most of all - its parental skills.
Goslings are golden-shaded grey little funny creatures that are very lovely (as all the little ones in the world) and they always share food with their siblings - they are well-taught (this is not a scientific blog, it's based on own impressions and experience, so don't judge me very strictly if I say something wrong). 

As I already emphasized, the
 parenting skills in geese are very strong. They are ready to attack anyone, who even accidentally gets close with their goslings. There is a very nasty black-headed gull on the photo, trying to steal the bread from a goose family and the parent is hissing in a tone.
Geese want to get rid of not only those who get close to steal, but also those who actually give the food to them. We were shooting this session on the lake where we fed geese. They accepted all the bread that we gave, but once got out of the water, they hissed and ran towards us aggressively and made it clear that we were not allowed to be around. The toddlers were well protected; the gull on the photo, got away alive. :-)

Geese, you are wonderful parents! Everyone - happy parenting!

And don't forget to... :-)

სოფლის მერცხალი და ქალაქის მერცხალი: Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

If I could choose a bird of my childhood, barn swallow would be the one... It is the bird that reminds me of all the sweet summer days we've spent in the village with my grandparents. How I played in the yard of a neighbour's house and how I watched mother swallow bringing food to its little ones in the corner of a house, where they had the nest.
It continued year after year, again and again until I grew up and the house got almost completely abandoned. And the nest - unattended and destroyed...

How I would wake up at dawn and hear Barn Swallows whistling morning songs to the world; to all of us. But they sang to me, for they knew I loved them and they loved me back... They were not even afraid of me when I was staring at them from one meter distance. How easy it was for the mother swallow to fly in, sit on the corner of the nest, where microscopic, yellow like omelet beaks would appear, grab the worm from the mother's mouth and disappear again... I was trying to get a closer look at them by adjusting myself on the seat peeking up, but seeing nothing...

Barn Swallows are black on top with very distinct brown neck, white breast and a long, scissor-like tail. You can hear the morning song in the video below...

 

Common House Martins I med only once in my life and it was an astonishing experience. The group of blue-white, funny, fluffy and very shiny clean birds sitting in the middle of the almost dried mud hole, dipping their little beaks and collecting material for the nest. They were working in a big group, where two or three of them would fly in and out side-by-side... They are smaller than Barn Swallows and are also somehow different. Their lifestyle is also more wild; (at least) these House Martins (despite the name) were less social. Although very pretty!

House martin covered by a foreground yellow flower.

Thanks for reading this! 

Don't forget to... :-)