Well, the female 88K is back, and with her a new swain, 92P, and six goslings. Where did they come from? What do I do now? I know nothing of geese or how to tend them.
And of course Frank and Honey are gone, and won’t return with this crew around.
OMG. Well, I have to report 92P now, who must be a male.
88K was here a while back, and I reported her and got my Official Goose Spotter certificate. She must have been checking out the place in early April.
I’ll try to feed them now. . . .
You could leave it to nature. After all 92P and 88K are the descendants of an unbroken chain of individuals who managed to survive(at least until leaving progeny)going back 3bn years!
Heh, if there’s one thing I know about Canada geese it’s that they don’t need our help. Just sit back and enjoy.
They have taken over as one of the commonest geese in the British Isles…
I have seen mallard ducks and canada geese coexisting in the Gaywood River near where I live (with muscovy ducks, intermediate in size between the other two species, also in the equation).
Lots of Canadians and Mallards and Teal here in urban Wichita. They do fine together.
OKAY, Canada geese. There are probably a few Canadians as well.
It is easy to tell the difference. The Canada geese go “honk” and the Canadians go “eh”.
Such warm and fuzzy names Mrs 88K and Mr. 92P. I think you will need some names. Maybe Ralph and Alice.
But the goslings are easily named: 180KP, 181KP, … , 185KP.
In the pond near my campus, there is a “waterfowl feeder” that dishes out pellets. The geese love it.
If Honey is siting on a clutch she may still be around. I’ve know plenty of geese & ducks to peacefully co-exist.
So 88K = Mother Goose!
The pond near my house has geese, mallards and wood ducks in it, so I agree that the geese don’t necessarily mean the ducks have been chased away.
Maybe the goose researchers will want to band the goslings.
We have Canada geese in great number in the UK. They won’t go home.
That is funny, Mr Bath.
I am sorry, Canada; but that is a stitch !
You will be here all week, I wager, not ? !
Blue
Try to ID the goslings if possible. Keep track of the days . . . and let’s see if they go off to a goose nursery and where that nursery may be. But these are urban geese. I’d be fascinated to know.
My other thought: why are they tracking them? Here they are being, well, taken out, frequently because of water quality problems at public beaches.
Congrats on the certificate!
Are Canada Geese a pair-banding species?
The Canada Geese and the Mallards get along very well here on Loving Creek. I’ve never seen any interaction between them whatsoever, and I have plenty of both. If Botany Pond is small and you’re feeding them, that may change the equation.
Unlike Canadians, Cananda geese are miserable, aggressive, hissing poop machines. I would avoid them because being attacked by geese isn’t too fun.
They’re noxious pests in urban and suburban environments. That’s because we lure them in with manicured grassy parks and golf courses, where they love to feed. Whose fault is that? In their natural environment, like here on Aubrey Spring Ranch, they’re at home and very shy of people.
Mallards are dabblers. Canada Geese are grazers. They don’t compete for the same food resource.
Bravo
Ditto. Geese are positively dainty with their little poops compared to, say, most mammals.
Yes, very good that cows don’t fly.
In Mobile,
I don’t blame the for it, I just avoid them because goose attacks aren’t fun. I would not feed them for fear of making them even more aggressive.
We have geese on our pond, you should avoid them if at all possible as they have none of the endearing qualities of ducks
Goose interloper 88K? Obvious Alt-Right code!
If you feed them sauce you can feed the same kind to both of them because… Uh…
How does that old saying go?
I don’t think you’re supposed to feed them the sauce, you are supposed to drizzle it on them having roasted them.
I love the appreciation certificate. Maybe my children would make me one since Mother’s Day is just around the corner.
What’s your species & band ID code? 🙂
You are a real gentleman, MF – by not asking jhs when she was hatched.
🙂
🙂
What does the United States Geological Survey have to do with geese???
Take heed to comments & comments in #s 13 & 14. If you start feeding the geese, you’re at great risk that your legacy will end “… and who brought the Canada Geese to Botany Pond.”
Wonderful parents and cute babies! But I miss Honey and Frank. I hope that they will soon show up.