While on Lot 11 with my Kawasaki Mule, gathering fallen limbs toward the end of April, I startled mama goose who had been napping while sitting on her nest. She had selected a scenic spot, tucked at the base of an oak tree next to the upper lake. Giving a loud honking alarm cry she jumped up, flew to the lake still honking. Her cries alerted papa goose (I know he's called a gander but I want to emphasize his role in their relationship. While mama goose was napping on the nest keeping the eggs warm, papa goose was visiting and eating grass with a group of geese that had no family responsibilities. At mama's danger cry, papa came running over to chase me away, regardless of the fact that I, along with the Mule were much larger than he was. But to keep the peace in the goose family, I drove the Mule away. I worked on a different part of Lot 11 letting papa and mama goose settle down with their guarding and nesting duties.
Later, armed with my Sony Cybershot I drove the Mule back to Lot 11, staying near the property line with Lot 5. I parked the Mule near the Lot 11 home location sign, then walked to where I could take a picture of mama goose sitting on her nest.
At the base of the tree to the right, mama goose is snuggled on her nest.
Zoomed into mama and the nest to take a closer picture.
Rousted out of her nest once again, mama goose runs to the safety of the lake.
Papa, who once again has left his fellow geese to come to the aid of his mate, joins her on the lake, safely away from the intruder.
Papa and mama keep a safe vigil over their nest, which, of course I left undisturbed.
These are the five eggs that are the hope of this goose family. Once I have left, mama goose, I am sure, returned to her nest.
I left the geese alone to continue their life's work, supporting each other and producing more geese. During the next month I spotted a goose and gander with four little fluff balls walking between them, single file on their way to the lake after lunch. Curious, I drove the Mule out to the nest. There was the nest with one broken egg remaining in it. I took it as evidence that mama and papa had brought 4 out of 5 eggs to the point of hatching. Now their real work had started, that of nurturing their goslings until they reach adulthood, protecting them from predators such as the red hawks, fox, coyotes, snapping turtles, raccoons. They must be ever vigilant especially when their goslings were so small.
