Wildlife and general news blog about the Retreat and its environment

We've been monitoring a Canada goose nest (from a distance - the gander is very protective!). I thought the time was up for their incubation and hatching, and today new goslings appeared for the first time.

Follow the  more… button to see the video collage of some of their movements today.

The Canada goslings have grown quickly, and the photos from yesterday show that at 55 days old their plumage is now very similar to the adult Canada geese.

It appears that one of the original six goslings has been lost, but the remaining five have grown well.

As sunrise appears behind the geese and goslings, the gander is flapping his wings.

Look how big they are! Compare to when we first saw them 20 days ago.

There were and still are six goslings, though only four are captured on this photo taken as a quick snap from our window as they grazed outside.

They range far and wide, covering just about all of our 23 acres and also grazing on neighbouring farmland. We didn't see them at all for a couple of days but then they reappeared.

For a month we've been observing a male Canada goose patrolling all around the area of this pond, even walking up and down a field over 50 yards away to block cattle from coming near.

The nest was hard to spot but a couple of weeks ago we got glimpse between strands of tall grass of the white breast of the goose on the far edge of the pond.

We thought they were due to hatch and yesterday the goose left the nest and was swimming in the pond. This afternoon she brought six goslings into the pond with her.