The GreyLag Geese of the Shankill Estate

Those who have read my other stories and seen the photographs that go along with them, will have seen some of these photographs before, but they are included in this story because this is the amazing story of the Greylag Geese of the Lower Shankill Estate, Shankill Road, Belfast City, Northern Ireland.

The Geese fly in from Europe and Asia to holiday in and around the Shankill Estate in West Belfast every autumn, and stay right through to early spring.

Attention

The geese do not roost in the Shankill Estate at night, they fly off to Antrim Road Water Works, and other parts of North Belfast, but every morning they fly into the Shankill Estate in formation and stay all day long interacting with the locals who are now used to them, and the tourists who are totally stunned by such a sight right in the heart of a Belfast Estate, so you can be sure millions have taken photographs of the amazing sight of the greylag geese in a Belfast Estate, and you can be even more sure that those photographs have traveled the earth through social media sites for others to see such a sight, and now I share them with you here on Vocal.

The Geese and the Murals

Many of these open spaces are no longer there in the Shankill Estate as new building and children's parks are erected which is a shame because the grazing ground has almost disappeared, and what should have been a protected asset to the people of the Shankill Estate was not thought of by the planning committees or even the Northern Irish Tourist Board, which is truly sad.

Such a story should have been valued by local councillors and politicians, and in other nations this would have so, but because of progress those who control the purse strings and at times turn up for work as our politicians, the famous greylag geese of the Lower Shankill Estate story is forgotten by progress.

Yet if the same progress and building was brought to the politicians flush country residences then many objections would suddenly be raised at such a thing.

Breakfast

The media joke about the geese being under the protection of the ex-paramilitary groups, but this is just the media who have rarely even covered this amazing story in the heart of an Estate in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is truly sad.

The Locals have no interest in harming their visitors who bring them so much wonder and enjoyment, not even at Christmas when a goose would make a tasty Christmas dinner for a change, no, the people of the Lower Shankill Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland just enjoy their winter friends for company, especially the children.

I even checked Wikipedia to see the story of the greylag geese of Belfast and Northern Ireland and there is not a mention of them, or even a local photograph or photographs so my appeal towards Wikipedia has now gone downhill big time.

It is not as if the greylag geese just turned up on the Lower Shankill Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland just yesterday.

I am glad I now have Vocal to share this amazing story and photographs with the world and through the four corner of the earth.

King Billy's on the Wall

This is another photograph you will never be able to take again because once more the geese's feeding grass is gone.

I also love how the goose who is loose in the front of this photograph is photo bombing it.

Even the black taxis just like the one on the middle right are now multi-coloured and covered in advertising, which is once more progress in motion.

The Birdman Dinky

I love this photograph of Dinky, God bless him, feeding not only the greylag geese, but also sparrows, seagulls, starlings, and pigeons, with hundreds of birds joining the gathering to be feed, once more showing the kindness and respect the locals did and do show to their winter visitors.

Belfast Murals and the Geese

As you get out of your car to see the amazing sight of the greylag geese in the Lower Shankill Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland, they approach you with excitement in their eyes, but believe it or not, when you just start taking photographs of them they turn tail, ignore you and go back to feeding on the grass.

The Bird Club

As you can see from several of my photographs in this story, the geese are not the only birds to come together to feed, such as seagulls.

Whatever the geese are eating seems to disturb other little creatures which then the seagulls pluck up.

Deep in Winter

Even when it is 12 degrees below zero, the geese still dander around the Lower Shankill Estate, Belfast in deep winter, but they do not struggle to be fed thanks to the locals once more, and this is part of the secret behind why they come back year after year.

Low Mist

If you ever get the chance to visit the Lower Shankill Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland in autumn or winter, then be sure to bring your cameras for many amazing photographs before these amazing sights of once aspect of Belfast disappears forever.

If you like my stories and photographs and can afford it, please leave a tip so I can try to achieve my goal of becoming an established Author and to continue with my photographic projects, and to all those who have kindly tipped me already and read my stories, and seen my photographs, I thank you so very much.

Best Wishes:

Aunidan