Wednesday 21 May 2014

What's going on here?

I didn't intend to bore you with more geese and goslings but then I saw something unexpected that I wanted to share with you.

You may recall the Canada Geese had six goslings last week, well this week I counted seven and one was a lot smaller than the others. Just about the time I noticed this, one of the adult geese started chasing the smallest one and pecking at it.
 
 

The youngster fled into the water and the adult pursued it.



Soon the whole family was chasing it across the pond.




I was worried so I followed the action to the other side of the small pond. Here the little one clucked piteously and approached another pair of geese (without goslings) and was rebuffed once again.



 
 
 
 


The ducks took no notice of the little one.



The family group swam into the middle of the pond and the little fellow swam into the shallow water where the adults without goslings watched and didn't allow it to come ashore again, more wailing. 
 
The adult geese and remaining goslings headed to the water and swam away. 



 The littlest gosling came ashore again and hid on the shoreline. Since I was close the geese (without goslings) did not threaten it.



Was there some kind of call from the rest of the group, if so I wasn't aware of it, but the next thing I saw was the gosling swimming out towards the rest of the family.

 
I was a bit worried, but it was allowed to return, here you can see it in the middle of the picture. A happy ending? I hoped so and I resumed my walk.



Later in the afternoon I headed back to the area where I had first seen the geese and the parents plus all seven of the goslings were there again, even the littlest one.




I have never witnessed anything like this before. There were no other families of goslings at the pond so the little one must have been a late hatchling. I don't know if geese will adopt other goslings, maybe someone in blogland has the answer to that.

It seems that at least in the short term there is a happy ending.

Good news this post received Post of the Week by Hilliary at The Smitten Image




Here is a video made by the National Film Board of Canada called "A day in Pacific Rim National Park". Pacific Rim National Park is on the west coast of Vancouver Island. There is no commentary to this video just beautiful photography and sounds of nature; thanks to my friend Beverly for suggesting this.

 
 
I finished another landscape this week, this one like last week's, is of Jericho Park. I took the photo that inspired this watercolour painting one beautiful morning earlier in the spring, I call it "The best seat in the Park": 

 
That is all for this week, thanks for dropping by, and thank you for all the great comments, I really appreciate them. Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next week,
 
Gillian


19 comments:

  1. I've noticed one pair of geese babysitting goslings from several families. I don't know whether they take it in turns.

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  2. beautiful, serene painting! i've heard geese will help parent each other's broods. i hope the little one will survive.

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  3. Wow, what a poor gosling, maybe it has said the wrong thing. Brilliant painting Gillian,

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  4. So beautiful to see Gillian... a wonderful post.

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  5. Great photos and very interesting observations about the geese and the littlest gosling! Your painting is very beautiful.

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  6. What a great post. I love how you caught some of the little ones with their mouth wide open. The action and narrative is wonderful.

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  7. I was hanging on to every word...I hope all will be well. They are so cute and you got some amazing captures!!

    Your art is so beautiful!!

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  8. What a suspenseful story! I wonder if the parents were testing the strength of the little one... anyway, it looks like all is well, and you didn't end up with a gosling in your pocket to care for when you got home! Your painting is beautifully serene ~ and I could picture sitting there enjoying the natural surroundings.

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  9. I've seen mama and papa geese with may more goslings than they could possible have hatched themselves, so I think they often babysit for other parents. I wonder why they were treating the little one so badly. Hmmm. Hope it makes it!

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  10. Nice shots - spring has firmly sprung.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  11. I wonder if that poor gosling was being punished for some infraction. Odd. The water color is aptly named. Beautiful!

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  12. Even in the bird world, there has to be a least one chick/child that goes against the flow:) Quite a personality!

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  13. Wonderful post, Gillian. I love the photos and as always, your art is amazing. What a beautiful scene.

    Yes, Canada geese will indeed adopt not only other goslings but ducklings as well. I have no idea why they resisted the little one at first though.. only to take it in later. Very interesting behaviour and a fine post.

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  14. Actually yes, ducks and geese are well known to 'adopt' apparently-abandoned young that aren't theirs.

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  15. What a harrowing story! Reminds me of The Ugly Duckling tale, which I loved as a kid. Glad that there seemed to be a happy ending here. Guess it was a survival lesson for the wee one.

    A lovely, serene watercolour you made of a beautiful setting.

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  16. came back to say congrats on your POTW!

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  17. Glad it was reunited , perhaps an adopted family. Lots around me, one family has 19.

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  18. My heart hurt for the rejected gosling. Nature can be seemingly cruel at times. Hopefully the little one will be okay. Loved the images and congrats on POTW.

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