I've been goosed...

Most folks see Canada Geese as a pest, and in some ways, I tend to agree, especially when you get a flock of 20 or 30 crapping all over everything.

I've had a pair that hang out in the fields at the back of the property by the stream and I'm pretty sure it's the same pair every year. This year, I saw the pair as usual, and then all of a sudden, just the male (I'm going by size, assuming the male is larger). I wondered if he'd lost his mate or what as I don't recall ever seeing a lone goose for more than a moment or two without others joining.

This went on for several weeks and once when a flock of geese flew over, he flattened himself out and made as low a profile as he could in the grass which I thought was REALLY odd.

Turns out, Mama was nesting over in a corner and I just never saw her in the tall grass. Mrs. Downeaster saw something yesterday and today the whole fam damily was walking around:



They headed for the stream as soon as they saw me come around the trees at the top of the field...not panicked, but moving right along. I'm hoping to get a better picture, they were 25-30 yards away and that's the best I could do with full zoom.

When Dad was batching it, I could walk within 10 feet of him and he'd just eyeball me as I walked past. I've never seen goslings in the wild and darn sure never this close to people.

I’m pretty sure they mate for life. So it’s highly likely it’s the same couple returning year after year.

willis said:

I’m pretty sure they mate for life. So it’s highly likely it’s the same couple returning year after year.

Click to expand...

That was my understanding as well. I also suspect that the goslings will return at least to this area when they're adults.

Downeaster said:

I've never seen goslings in the wild and darn sure never this close to people.

Click to expand...

As strange as it might seem, they are absolutely thick in certain areas around Phoenix. We have a lot of man made lakes in and around neighborhoods and the golf courses. The geese fly down here for the winter, and absolutely take over the lakes, they hatch their young and then don’t leave for a year. You’ll see the young ones put on weight and size, they hang out where they don’t have much risk. They stay over the next winter, then when the kids are big enough to travel they migrate back North. I’ve never understood why they would spend the summer in a hot desert. Sometimes I would see them just strolling around on a scalding hot street and wander why they don’t burn. These were taken where I used to live. By the way, they absolutely will not get out of the way of cars. You have to shoo them away.

I got the same info from other sources. I guess I've just led a sheltered life...

Talk to me goose!

"I guess I've just led a sheltered life... "

I doubt that.

thuban said:

Talk to me goose!

"I guess I've just led a sheltered life... "

I doubt that.

Click to expand...

19 years old, single and stationed in the PI in 1970 - What could go wrong?

Downeaster said:

19 years old, single and stationed in the PI in 1970 - What could go wrong?

Click to expand...

Ding wa! mamasan say it your ole lady calling!

Downeaster said:

19 years old, single and stationed in the PI in 1970 - What could go wrong?

Click to expand...

You could od on lbfm's...

Ah, LBFMs. Been a while since I heard that term.

There as thick as I've ever seen, here in Mississippi. We have water everywhere here, so... Waterfowl hunting is extremely popular here. My work colleague killed one this year. He said he'll never point a shotgun at a goose again. He said the meat was awful!
We had a lot of goslings in the neighborhood early spring. We need to close the border! They're taking over!

Bloody dammed Canadians - they’re frickin’ everywhere, crappin’ on the street and gettin’ into everything!

...oh wait, I am one.

Strike what I said above about the noble Canada Goose - truly one of nature’s greatest treasures.

Just two cautions:

• goose poo is unbelievably slippery so if you step in it, you could easily take a fall and land in it
• as DE says above, their meat is incredibly fatty and not at all tastey, so all you Americans...holster it
• if you do have to shoo them away, be cautious because if they turn on you, they are aggressive and can bite like he!! We had a foreign student teasing a group of geese on the campus a few years ago and one of them took him on. He wound up with a lot of bad cuts and a broken arm.

Oops that was three cautions. Sorry about that.

I’ll edit it later......

I've been "goosed/geesed" lately as well Downeaster. Pic of my front yard in N. Michigan on a river. What you don't see is about 10 little ones right over the bank. The two little pip-squeek poor-excuse-for-guard-dogs we have are too lazy to chase em away more than once. Talk about un-welcome fertilizers.....