Canada Goose Family

[Mike]

I think that I have mentioned the two (sometimes three) Canada Geese that have wintered in the pond outside my bedroom window for the past two winters. Last year they left sometime in May and didn't return until late Fall.

This year, they left sometime in May but two of them returned about a week ago. The next day, there were three of them. The third day, six showed up.

I presume they did not go North for the summer and nested here in the South. Once the goslings were able to fly, they brought them home where they get free corn and nobody shoots at them.

[Dave Grubb]

They are a little like squirrels, a few can be cute but they have no limits. Geese have a particularly annoying habit, they eat big sums of grass which they convert to huge piles of green chit. The more geese the more piles, which they deposit at will

[Honda]

I think that I have mentioned the two (sometimes three) Canada Geese that have wintered in the pond outside my bedroom window for the past two winters. Last year they left sometime in May and didn't return until late Fall.

This year, they left sometime in May but two of them returned about a week ago. The next day, there were three of them. The third day, six showed up.

I presume they did not go North for the summer and nested here in the South. Once the goslings were able to fly, they brought them home where they get free corn and nobody shoots at them.

It's quite enjoyable to watch the geese and ducks on a pond.

[Phillbo]

I'm hoping these come back this year .....

[Truckman]

I'm hoping these come back this year .....

Ahh, molting season......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Ahh, molting season......Ben

An interesting fact about geese. Unlike most birds they do not molt one feather at a time, they molt at once and are rendered flightless until their wing feathers grow back. That period corresponds with the hatching season for the goslings. This flightless period lasts for about 6 weeks while the goslings grow their own flight feathers.

It is probably one of God's more ingenious moves---the parents are forced to stay home and mind the kids

Geese also mate for life and unlike some other "mated" species they are monogamous.

As for birds that progressively molt, they shed the same feather at the same time on each wing

[UTAH]

We have many breeds of birds that come here to nest on the Great Salt Lake. There's even a well know Pink Pelican that shows up with them.

However, it's all at risk. Like lakes Powell and Mead, our lake is drying up - to the lowest level in modern history. Our Legislature is spending millions in an attempt to save it. I hope it works.

Hunter