Photo of Goose

Despite the insistent wind lashing against their faces, the visiting walkers stomped along the coastal path. Disconcertingly, the sea was higher than the land and pregnant sails peeped over the sea wall looking down on woolly-headed, wax-jacketed, thermal-gloved stalwarts. Sturdy boots splashed and squelched with regular stops to allow for ‘bird-watching’.

A woman did just this as she tentatively peered through shiny new binoculars. Bright pink jacket – new; shiny black leggings – new; bright mauve Pom-Pom hat – new.

‘Are you looking for the white-tailed, lesser-spotted greebing?’ Dennis asked her.

‘Er…yes, but I’m not sure which is which,’ her clipped Kensington vowels rang out.

‘That’s them,’ Dennis pointed to a group of common geese who had spent years on the marsh and were a local nuisance. Dennis broke into a soliloquy about the rarity of ‘greebing’ and how privileged the marsh was to have them as winter visitors this year. The woman nodded sagely in agreement. Dennis’ fellow walkers looked away in a mixture of amusement and embarrassment.

‘Best take a picture and put it on Facebook and Instagram for all to share this rare treat,’ Dennis concluded.

‘Yes, yes, of course.’ The woman took out a jewel-encrusted ‘phone and snapped away at the geese tearing up the grass.

‘Make sure you spell their name right,’ said Dennis helpfully and conjured up an exotic sounding array of letters for her.

‘Thank you sooo much,’ the woman drawled. ‘This has been so exciting.’

‘Come on, Dennis,’ one of his friends tugged at his sleeve. ‘We need to get back to the pub and tell everyone what we’ve seen.’

Waving goodbye, the three friends continued on their way for a merry lunchtime.