What a kerfuffle

For our American and other friends, this word comes from an old Scots verb “fuffle,” which first appeared in print in the early 16th century and means “to throw into disorder.” Well, that was the situation in the hide in Mai Po last year when all the cameras were going off a mile a minute and the birders whatsapping their friends in excitement, because of .... a goose. And not just one, but two...! woah....

But in Hong Kong this is a rare event. There may be many of these animals - even thousands - not too far away along the Yangtse River, but it is a rare treat in Hong Kong, and these are the aptly named Greater White-fronted Geese - Anser albifrons (frontalis). After a million pictures had been taken around me I was amused to see that this couple came right up to the hide and started eating the seeds at the end of long grasses, providing close photo opps, and i include the best of those pics below.

strike a pose

first they bend down the long stalk

and then they eat the seeds on the end.

thirsty work