And Then There Were Five....

I hope I'm wrong...but, I think this is the same family of geese that I saw yesterday. Yesterday there were 6 babies. Today there were 5.

From my limited observation at the mill-pond, I think that the geese are pretty good parents. They are always in pairs, and both parents are quite attentive. In the picture, the water is rushing off the parents tail because he/she had to run off another set of geese. It looks like the babies are thanking the parent for their protection.

From the last 6 months of watching my grandson...I know that he has to eat, sleep, play, and poop. So do the baby geese (goslings?). As they get days and days older, they venture farther away from the parents to eat, play, and sleep. Maybe something gets them as they venture off. The whole family also has to eventually hit the water, both for eating and drinking, and for safety. Last year I saw a giant snapping turtle catch and drown an almost full-grown duck. I hate to think what took place under the water. So, maybe that's what happened to the sixth little goose.

I like to watch them as they flap their little wings and shoot up so rapidly. I did'nt get close enough today to get the head-down posture or the hiss from the parents. I hope the family can stay at 7.