Saw my first goslings this morning!

[BLACKJACK]

On the way into work, had to slow down in the fog to let Ma and Pa Goose cross the road with their batch of six. First ones that I've seen. On that same road also saw a rooster pheasant with four hens picking grit at the side of the road, and right beside them four deer. Nature at its best!

[Swamp Scooter]

Yup. Go them running around all over now. They must have hatched during the rain in the last couple of days as the moms had to stay on the nest more. Fun to see. The only happier thing out there right now are the foxes.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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The only happier thing out there right now are the foxes.

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I don't think that a fox could get past the adult pair to get at the goslings, thats why we're seeing more and more geese. After awhile the adult geese and goslings in an area will group together, so you have 6-8 adults watching the goslings. I once watched a coyote harass a bunch of goslings and adults that were feeding on land, they all made it back to the pond and he didn't come close to getting a gosling. I have a big pond in front of our house that I monitor with a spotting scope and when a goose pair have 6 goslings, 5-6 will generally survive to adult size. Not so with ducks, if a hen duck has 12 ducklings, if 6-7 survive to adult size, shes done well.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

yup my mom just called me and said we have 13 new geese on the wetland we restored two years ago; this is the first spring its held water and water with grass + the ducks and geese i missed last year = nesting! looks like im going to have to get some eggs from the trucker i know and start trapping to knock down the nest raiders before its too late for the ducks and pheasants. theres nothing better than seeing a fox with his snout stuck in a number one leg hold trap!

[onthejob2]

Saw a hen mallard and 6 ducklings crossing hwy 3 in rosemount, spring is here!!!