Growing Goslings
The Canada goose chicks are growing fast!
I went back to the areas where about two weeks ago I photographed some goslings (April 15th and April 16th posts). Those adorable, yellow balls of fuzz are much larger and are showing almost no yellow color. They are starting to turn gray. To me these goslings, although bigger and gray, remain rather cute.
I could not find the “limping pair” that I spoke of in the previous posts. However, that is not surprising. Canada geese (Branta canadensis) form groups, called creches, and cooperatively care for their young. That pair and its three chicks are most likely part of a larger flock somewhere on Baum Lake (Shasta County CA) where this picture was taken.
Within another week or two the Canada goose chicks will become “teenagers” and begin to show the shape and plumage of mature geese.
Pingback: Still Growing | The Nature Niche
I didn’t really know they came together in groups to care for the young, but I saw an example of it last week. Somebody had let their dog off leash, at the shore in SLU Park, and the dog started chasing geese. In fact, the lady would never have seen her dog again if a kayaker hadn’t gone by at the right time … and then gone back to collect the dog for her and bring it back to shore. Anyway, the dog was mostly after the adult geese, but all the adults in the group made a line between the dog and the goslings, and started to shriek whenever it showed any interest in the little ones.
I love your picture of the goslings hiding in their mother’s wings. Wish I could capture such a photo. Thanks for the anecdote about Canada geese cooperating to protect their young. Keep peddlin’
Their little feathers are still pretty fuzzy !!! CUTE !
It will not be long until the down is replaced by the first feathers. To my mind, that transition phase is when the young geese lose their “cuteness”.