Is She or is She not?

Yes or No?  

This was the question I asked when I came across these two along the canal today.  About half of the white geese from Greenhill seem to have moved permanently further along the canal.  This pair were sitting very close to the weir, near Lingcroft Wharf.  I was wondering is she was sitting on a nest and sure enough...

when she moved there were eight eggs.  There is another one lying outside the nest but whether it was laid outside the nest or rolled out, it is unlikely to hatch. 

This nest is in a great position for observation, there is even a handy bit of wall to sit on!  I believe the eggs take about 28 days to hatch so I will be visiting often.  I do worry about them: this is the area where the mink were seen last year and I know there are a lot of foxes in the area.  Then of course there is no guarantee the eggs are all fertile or if they will hatch at all.  Last night there was a really heavy frost so it isn't going to be easy for them.

Every time she shifted there was a lot of peaking and biting from her partner.  Anyone know what that is about?  I couldn't help thinking he was telling her to 'shut that door, you're letting the heat out'.  Whatever, she was ignoring him.

UPDATE: I discovered these were actually taken the day she laid the eggs.  The gander is keeping guard and providing 'encouragement' with the nips. 

And so to sleep