Walking home from my piano recital this evening, I heard a ruckus arising out on the fen. These people were watching these geese, and the geese were making a racket not unlike that of our May Ball, only with greater hostility.

Of course I got out my camera and went over to see what was happening.

I kept a respectful distance and made no moves toward the geese, but some of them made moves toward me, ducking their heads and even occasionally hissing. I missed the focus on this one, but I want you to see this menacing bird:

Now, there wasn't a doubt in my mind about the fact that these birds could have messed me up, if they'd so chosen, and I was fairly sure that babies were involved in this scene somehow. It took me a little bit to find them, but then there they were:

When a duck family showed up and steamed right toward the geese, I expected to see a showdown.

But since no showdown seemed imminent, I headed on down the river. Hearing the telltale peeps of tiny moorchicks, I stopped and looked until I found the peeps' source:

Just in case you haven't gotten a sense yet of how cute these things are, and of how much I love them, know that they're probably about half the size of my fist, and look at this close-up.

I do not maintain my cool even a tiny bit when it comes to moorhens and their babies.

So, now: May Ball, check; piano recital, check; conference paper writing, almost whole check. Things are moving pretty fast these days. I want to go to sleep but need to have a finished speaking script before I do.