First Goslings

[BLACKJACK]

Saw my first goslings yesterday, three batches of them. The first two had big hatches, six and seven goslings, the last one only had two. Its amazing how the geese come back while the ponds still have ice on them, claim a spot, get the nest started, and they're all in synch so they hatch about the same time.

Now its time to start watching for the first ducklings and fawns.

[Finlander]

My daughter and I saw some mallard duckling last sunday! Cute as could be!

[rich4walleyes]

I saw 1 group of mallard ducklings about a week ago. There was like 10 in that group. Hope they have a good nesting spring.

[Cooter]

I saw some little honkers last Sat.

[icehousebob]

There were six young geese on the pond this morning. The hatch has begun.

[Gordie]

I saw some little honkers last Sat.

[BLACKJACK]

Saw my first mallard ducklings on Sunday morning, couldn't believe that they were hatched this early!!

[harvey lee]

I have not seen any ducklings yet but I have seen several moms with there goslings. Nice little yellow fur balls.

[dan z]

seen tyhe first family of goslings about a week and a half ago just forgot to post it...

[HunterLee]

saw some woodcock babies two weeks ago already, but then have seen other ones with eggs yet while snooping around in the woods.

[fishgutz77]

Yep, I've seen broods of both mallards and geese in my area.

[leech~~]

I was fishing on Edward in Brainerd this weekend and had about 5-6 flocks of 40-100 Geese come by. Are they just coming up from down south or what's up? The Geese at the lake already have little ones with them.

[B. Amish]

molt migration. they're juvenile geese - too young to breed - heading north into canada to molt. they'll be coming back through about the time early goose season rolls around.

[Gordie]

yep juvies they are to young to breed and I have also seen alot of them next season their will be alot of baby geese

[carpshooterdeluxe]

yep juvies they are to young to breed and I have also seen alot of them next season their will be alot of baby geese

not if my SX2 and our 8 bird daily early early sodak season have anything to say about it...

[Gordie]

I did think of that after I posted I also saw some of the gosslings today man they look funny wadling around big yellow fuzz balls

[Musky Buck]

The big flocks are I believe Manitoba bound and non-breeders of course, the teenagers so to speak, I have seen way better gosling counts this year compared to last, many in the 7-12 range. Here's one for you, saw a hen woodie on Sunday night with 23 babies, yes 23, my theory is she laid her eggs in the same box as another hen and took over both clutches, what do you think ?

[Gordie]

Yep as soon as I saw 23 babies that was my first thought

[tweedlap]

I have seen some goslings, almost, as big as ma and pa.

Global warming goslings, I presume.

tweed

[BLACKJACK]

The big flocks are I believe Manitoba bound and non-breeders of course, the teenagers so to speak, I have seen way better gosling counts this year compared to last, many in the 7-12 range. Here's one for you, saw a hen woodie on Sunday night with 23 babies, yes 23, my theory is she laid her eggs in the same box as another hen and took over both clutches, what do you think ?

Its common for multiple wood ducks to lay eggs in one house, then the dominant hen takes over the brooding until they hatch, and the other hen moves onto another house and nest. I've also seen wood duck eggs and merganser eggs in the same house, and even mixed broods on the water. Kind of cute, the little wood ducks skitter along the top of the water while the little mergansers are diving.