Watching Wild Geese

There was a gaggle of Canada geese paddling about Grandma’s Beach at Ruckle Park headed by two adults, which were leading about ten babies with two more adults at the rear, as well as another six adults trailing at a safe distance behind.  The babies were about as big as those at the center, perhaps at the teenage stage on the verge of adulthood, and making the same chirping chatter.  They fed primarily on Ulva species, a thin, bright green algae, which was growing on the beach and the rocks and slowly becoming uncovered by the receding tide.  It made me wonder why we have been collecting terrestrial greens for them.  Perhaps, those would be their alternative diet, being a species at home on both land and sea.

One youngster became distracted by a patch of algae on a rock, by which the gaggle passed, and two others followed behind, trying to steal the seaweed from him and romping about.  One patient adult stayed on with them, supervising the play as the rest of the group paddled towards the beach.  However, after awhile, she had enough and felt that it was time to regroup.  She began slowly paddling away, sounding a commanding honk every ten seconds until by the fifth call or so the little ones scurried up behind her for a quiet journey to shore.