12 Days of Christmas: Six geese a-laying at Harewood House
It might be frequented by royalty '“ Prince Charles is said to have paid a visit last year, arriving by helicopter '“ but Harewood House, on the outskirts of Leeds, has also become something of a favourite retreat for other airborne visitors, in the form of several hundred Canada geese, who return there every year during winter.
The birds, which have been known to live for more than 30 years in some cases, migrate every year after the mating season, taking up residence on the South Lawn, where, according to bird garden manager Nicholas Dowling, there is good grazing to be had. The birds are have a distinctive black head and neck with a white ‘chinstrap’.
As part of the YEP’s continuing romp through the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ song, we present six of said birds to you today.
Nicholas said: “We get several hundred geese here each year. They come and graze on the South Lawn.”