Egyptian Geese: fledgling flight.

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Yesterday was so exciting: it was the first time that I saw one of the fledgling fly! The father now almost always drives the goslings away; he is most tolerant of the small and delicate female ones, but even drives them away sometimes (particularly when they first get up after a period lying down, or when they puff themselves up, which suggests that his cue is size...?).
He was driving all of the goslings off the island in the middle of the pond as I arrived in the early afternoon, and the father chased one of the goslings further, but it flapped and flapped and lifted up out of the water, escaping by air! It got its feet clear of the water and flew about 50m before landing back in the pond. It was not flailing or fluttering but looked quite in control and comfortable: flying. It was so thrilling to see!

I didn't catch its flight on camera ("d'oh"), but did like this shot, which was just after this gosling flapped up onto the bank.