Goslings

Canada Geese are so common here in the Pacific Northwest that, despite their considerable size, they tend to go unnoticed, like trees in the forest.  However, there’s two times during the year when it’s impossible not to notice them. 

The first time is when a pair is establishing their breeding territory. They’re so loud that you can’t walk Theler Wetlands without hearing in the remotest sections of the refuge.  The second time is when they have young goslings, and, ironically, that’s about the only time of the year when you don’t hear them talking to each other.

We obviously missed the stage immediately after the goslings are born, but they’re still young enough to be cute.  The easiest way to spot them is to look for a pair of geese.  Once we spotted a pair of geese, we always found gosling close by.  It’s no wonder that there are so many Canada Geese because they are great parents and both mother and father are there to protect them, usually with a parent leading the way and the other parent right behind.

Even with a 500mm lens it’s difficult to get a shot of a gosling without cutting off parts of an adult goose, so I was happy to get these two shots of a gosling eating the tip off a long shoot of grass 

and of another gosling goose-stepping through the mud.