GOOSEY GOOSEY GANDER

When Scrooge got his act together and brought a goose to the family on Christmas, was it domesticated or was it a wild goose like the Canada geese in the second picture? Although Canada geese are original to North America, there are at least 65,000 in Britain.

When grandparents and great grand parents cooked a goose, was it domesticated or was it shot?

Have you, in your lifetime lived in an area of the country or on a fly way where the Canada goose flocks stopped to rest and eat before flying north in the summer or south in the winter? If so, then we share the pleasure of the V formation high in the sky and the sound of their communication honk. The goslings have a wheezy whiny like honk which changes as they mature. They seem to group up near Patrick's in Longville like clicks of high school chicks. We know they are family oriented and as the family grows the extended family returns to the nest/hatch area.

Restaurants on lakes often have families of geese loafing on the shore or dipping for food and swimming in the lake. At resorts, where people have hand fed them, they are social and also poop everywhere. One family had so many goose droppings in their yard, they sprayed to detour them. That year the 'family' had 35 goslings swimming between two adults. Although we know they don't lay that many eggs at a time; about 5-7 is common with a maximum of 12. Imagine the work of laying an egg a day! And the chicks are SO CUTE when they are still in their downy coats. They swim the first day and the natural enemy on water are big game fish, like pike and musky.

Recently, while fishing, we noticed the rustle of the bull rushes along the shore. As we watched, geese of all size emerged to a total of about 50. Down the shore line, additional large groups paddled across the lake. It is said that the parents moult, (loose feathers) and are ready to fly about the time the goslings fledge, which is about 9 weeks.

They are magnificent birds in their tuxedo like dress. For those of us who live in a snow bank for several months it is a sign that summer will come when we look up to see the V in the sky and the honking.


Listen for the honkers this fall if you are in the part of the country that has a fly by. If not, close your eyes and listen in your mind.

And......for you.....wake up little Soozi, wake up. Our goose is cooked! :)

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