Minna

Minna is a barnacle gosling small enough to sit in the palm of your hand. She was waddling along behind her parents and two siblings, who were all industriously nibbling at the soil. Out of nowhere, a magpie swooped down and flew away with her in its claws. The parents tried to catch it but they were too slow.

The magpie landed in a nearby tree and started mauling the gosling’s neck. It was horrific to watch! Luckily she managed to wriggle free but in doing so, fell all the way to ground. She was writhing around in a bit of a sorry state… things did not look good. I was starting to wonder if I’d be able to put her out of her misery if it came down to it 🙁 Then all of sudden, she wriggled up onto her feet and plonked herself down on the ground. The group of us looking down on her sighed with relief.

We wrapped her up in my cardigan and carried her back to the parents. It must have been comfy because it took a while to persuade her to get off again. Those tiny feathers are the softest thing I’ve ever touched.

She seemed unsteady on her feet after that ordeal but I’m amazed she survived falling to the ground after being mauled! Hopefully she will grow fast and strong, away from the clutches of savage magpies.

Live long and prosper little Minna! Thanks for not pooing on my cardgian.

This experience reminded me of a book called The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-mi Hwang. It’s a simple book that sums up the struggle for life in nature perfectly. It’s worth a read if you like animals or nature and the illustrations are beautiful too.