Now, I am really puzzled. It seems that amongst the beautiful swans -- currently in the region of 100 to 150 -- that are floating in front of the chateau, is a newcomer. For the last few days, a beautiful L'oie grise des Landes (Grey Landes goose)
has joined the swans and is clearly showing that it has an identity crisis. Whereas a goose's diet consists of mainly seeds, but also some insects, fruits and reptiles -- which he collects on land, the swans feed mainly in the water and they are almost entirely herbivorous, although small numbers of aquatic animals may be eaten. In the water food is obtained by up-ending or dabbling, and their diet is composed of the roots, tubers, stems and leaves of aquatic and submerged plants.
So - how does it happen that a goose is adopted by the swans and now grazes with the swans in the river, pulling up grasses and aquatic plants and munching food which is so alien to his own species?
Apparently it does happen from time to time that swans would take over a goose nest and raise the chicks when they hatch -- and possibly this is what has happened here. As I have reported -- with great concern -- a few times over the past three years, there has been no breeding amongst the swans for the last three seasons. Is this the answer now? Are they reverting to adopting?
Or -- perhaps it is simply a loving Mother Goose who has noticed that her swan cousins are having difficulties breeding and decided to lay her egg this summer in a swan's nest and so not only give the swan couple great joy, but ensure that her own offspring this year will not end up as foie gras!
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