Meet the supernanny goose on the shannon

A Shannonbridge goose is proving a hugely popular attraction in the local jetty as it plays super nanny to swans and ducks!

Goose, as the bird is affectionately known locally, seems to have a bit of an identity crisis taking on the mothering duties of several families in the riverside village after arriving from the Clonburren area, near Clonmacnois in 2009.

Since then each summer the farmyard goose has adopted either a family of swans with cygnets or mallards with a brood of chicks taking on the mothering role for the flock.

Although the gender of the goose is unclear, local resident Rose Ryan joked that it acts like a male in terms of how it protects its brood from other birds, but then acts like a female leading the birds around the river even if the real mother and father are present too.

“The goose is with a flock of mallard at present. He is totally in charge, it’s fascinating to watch,” said Rose.

“He generally joins the family in the spring when the chicks are born,” she added, explaining that the goose chooses a family of ducks these days because they get more food from visitors and boats in the jetty.

A pair of swans with four cygnets was the goose’s first family, one of which was very badly injured due to discarded fishing line getting entangled around its neck and one of its wings.

The swan finally became exhausted and made its way to the bank of the river where it was caught and all the fishing line removed, detailed Rose.
Its wing was very badly damaged with the bones protruding and little hope was expected for a recovery.

Remarkably though, the goose never left the swan’s side, providing it with protection from mink and other swans. Locals came to the jetty to feet the birds throughout the winter and by spring the swan had recovered well enough to fly, though not very well, but enough to get out of danger.

In all, this amazing goose stayed with the swan for almost three years. During winter flooding along the Shannon Callows swans generally move to higher ground and it has been a regular sound in recent years to hear the loud honking of the goose as he tried to keep up with his graceful flock.