Winter has arrived with a flurry of low pressure weather systems tracking across the peninsula; temperatures have dropped and the rain squalls have been frequent these past weeks.  Yet a pair of Egyptian geese have already had their first hatch of chicks, getting in well before the spring rush.   For whatever reason the parents evacuated their nesting area to relocate…. and with much raucous squawking Pa Gander marched his family (10 chicks) on a long journey.

Here they are on the first stage, waddling along the coast on the edge of a busy road.

Ma Goose stopped for a bath in one of the muddy rain puddles and the goslings have their first paddle.

Ten chicks all accounted for, just before the next stage of the journey.

A chill wind was blowing, and here they huddle in a clutch before negotiating the cliff.

Pa Gander leads the way and onwards they go….

Confronting the large open ocean and the curling waves below.

The steep path leads down to the sea.

….and off to sea they go.

With False Bay stretching ahead, the goslings  follow their parents into a stiff headwind, where they must round a headland and paddle towards the next bay.  They survive the epic journey, as my neighbour out walking her dog spotted them coming ashore further down the coast.  Hopefully I’ll be able to track them down ….