Two Egyptian geese in Azorín Park, Madrid
It was Sunday, a cloudy autumn day, and very early in the morning I decided to take a walk through the parks near my house, especially the one called Azorín, which I often visited to watch the ducks swimming in its fountain—a place I called “The Duckdrome.”
When I arrived at my destination, the fountain welcomed me with two new guests. They were a pair of Egyptian geese standing on the fountain’s wall. It seemed they were taking a break before continuing their journey. I felt privileged, not only to see them so close but also because I had my camera with me to capture that wonderful encounter.
I approached them slowly, as carefully as I could. I sat down on the fountain wall, and with my camera in hand, I began my report.
About the Egyptian goose
Egyptian geese are members of the duck and swan family. They are native to the southern Sahara and the Nile Valley in Africa. They were introduced to other continents, such as Europe, which is why I was able to see them up close in Madrid. They were considered a sacred bird by the ancient Egyptians. Hence their name: Egyptian goose.
After about fifteen minutes of watching them and taking photos without barely moving, they began to make a sound similar to a honk—something I later learned was a signal indicating their imminent departure. Suddenly, they made a takeoff maneuver that caught me by surprise. I reacted as quickly as I could. Thanks to that, I was able to capture the moment of their departure and have two wonderful images to remember it by.
Seeing the same Egyptian geese again, in the same place
On one of my recent walks, I ran into them again at the Azorín fountain. This time I didn’t have my camera with me, but I did have my cell phone. I sat down to watch them for a while on my “rock” (a rock near the edge of the fountain shaped like a seat), and it looked like it was going to be another lucky day. After a few minutes, both geese turned in unison in the direction they would later fly. Then they began to make those “honks” to which I reacted immediately, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I was absolutely certain this was the same thing that had surprised me once before, sensing that they would soon take off. So I pressed the record button immediately. And I wasn’t wrong, as I was able to witness and capture the entire process. The recording lasted less than a minute, since the time between the takeoff ritual (the honks and postures) and their departure was almost instantaneous.
It was undoubtedly another wonderful experience connecting with nature and its creatures. I hope that someday you’ll have the chance to see these geese up close—if you haven’t already—and enjoy their company. I hope you like the photos and that they give you a glimpse not only of the geese, but also of the life and surprises you can discover in a park like Azorín, without having to travel too far from home.
Thank you for watching this content.
Photos and text by ©EQFuentes 2025.
Gear: SONY ILCE-7R3MA + TAMRON 28-200mm
