For the Birds

Two Canada Geese Families
Odenton, MD
June 10, 2023

 Watching the geese became a daily pastime while we were in Maryland. There was a small catch pond next-door to Nicole's, where we were staying, and two goose families would walk over the small hill and spend part of the day swimming and eating in the relatively protected, fenced pond. 

What was interesting was that there were two goose families with between them 8 goslings. One family had 5 and the other 3 goslings. The goslings were hatched about a week or two apart, meaning one family was developing ahead of the other. But, they all got along and worked together as a small flock.

During the month we were in Maryland, Chris and I watched the geese and marveled at how the goslings so quickly developed from small, almost helpless creatures into beautiful Canadian Geese. We worried about the transient foxes that we occasionally saw at the pond. One day we saw a bunch of feathers and worried that one of the goslings had met an untimely end, but upon further examination I determined that there were not enough feathers. Later that same day we were happy to see the full compliment of both families. 

Since we departed, a week ago, it has been reported that the maturing goslings and their families no longer come to the pond for daily feedings. They are likely now part of a larger flock that will fly around Maryland, but never leave. Perhaps next year there will be additional families in the grouping. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL