Friday, June 04, 2021

Saga Finale

I had mentioned that I would provide the saga of the geese that had overtaken the osprey nest this spring.

You will remember ( of course because your lives are not filled with other trivia)  that hubby spent several times a day chasing the geese off the osprey nest using his kayak and paddle.  This was even AFTER the osprey had failed to dive-bomb and scare them off.

Once the mama goose had laid her egg(s) all bets were off and she would not fly away as hubby threatened in a kayak pass.  Once she realized that hubby was all shout and no action she settled down for the long haul.

The osprey would sometimes buzz the nest, but you will remember they had successfully built a small mansion on the sparse branches of the tree across the river.  They are very good nest builders.


All of us humans (including the neighbors who shook their heads at our futility and loss of faith in osprey nest building) went back to our regular spring activities.

Every once in a while I would hear the geese arguing or calling in fear or pain.  I would look out the window at the nest and not see an owl or osprey or other predator and wondered what was going on.  Every once in a while the gander would peck harshly at his mate and puff out his chest.  Was he angry that she had not laid any eggs?



Weeks passed and the geese moved off the nest and sometimes returned and sat on the edge.  


I would sometimes see the nest empty and found them camoflauged in the nearby grassy reeds.


I saw, or think I saw, at least one or perhaps two goslings tripping over the sticks in the nest.  Can you see it as I zoom in?


A day or three or four passed as I got busy and when I looked out the window again maybe a week later,  I saw crows on the nest.  I knew this was not a good omen.  The geese were gone and crows were flipping gosling feathers about.


I kept up hope because later I did see a pair of geese with two little ones.


I also later saw a luckier family.


As the season moves into summer the families tend to join up for greater protection...


...and just like human children, they grow faster than weeds.


I have not been out to photograph them, but the young ones are getting their adult colors and may be better able to protect themselves.  I will never know if any of these are goslings from the osprey platform, but it gives me no less joy to see them healthy and eating all our algae around the dock.




16 comments:

  1. Enjoy the goose saga. And off they go with their young ones. So many end up as crow snacks, I imagine that's why they have so many at one time.

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  2. They grow quickly and lose their cuteness. Of course, that happens in all species.

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    1. Awwwa, come one, you are cuter than a bug's ear. Just ask your wife.

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  3. As long as the crows didn't win, I'm happy. Thanks for the great photo essay.

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  4. Our geese and ducks are usually nesting on the ground, and frequently racoons get the eggs or ducklings. So glad to see all those baby goslings on your lake. Hope the Osprey have a family as well, even with such shaky architecture!

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  5. Surprised that they nest so out in the open. Maybe they will be discouraged next year. Hopefully a few did make it.

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  6. Wonderful ending to bird saga

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  7. I enjoy the adventures of the gosling kind. Thank you for sharing yours.

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  8. Perhaps the fact that their young were attacked by crows because they nested out in the open will discourage that pair from using the osprey nest next year. Not knowing much about birds, i am only guessing.

    Congratulations to the successful families!

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  9. Those sassy geese are nest stealers! Sheesh! They're lucky their cute!
    Great pics!!!

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  10. maybe the geese will decide that a nest in the open like that isn't such a good idea.

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  11. Oh my, what an adventure. Thank you so much for this.

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  12. Thank you so much for sharing this update. What beauty to see the protective geese with their offspring all working together. It does take a village.

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  13. Dropping in for a read. I enjoy watching birds very much. Relief to see that the goslings swimming with their 'parents.' I like the pix with the 6 goslings following the leader and swimming like military style in a straight line. Thanks for the story, made me happy.

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  14. Appreciate the update. Surprising the geese settled on such an open area and should surely know other predatory birds would fly in if they left little ones alone. Perhaps the geese got off with most little ones. Hope the osprey get your nest site next year.

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  15. Hi Tabor, loved the images. How are you doing?

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.