Posts tagged canada goose

Early morning landing…

(Give them a click-much nicer large!)

Jockeying for position under mom’s tail-feather umbrella, these goslings are likely weathering their first storm at just a few days old. When the goslings are born they are bright yellow with a dark beak, looking more like baby ducks. They are able to swim as soon as they are born and the adults will lead them to safety in open waters. As the weeks pass, their yellow down darkens and changes to gray. By nine weeks old their plumage has significantly changed and their flight feathers have grown in, and they begin to look more like adult birds with a jet-black head and neck, white cheeks and chinstrap, tan breast, and brown back. Interestingly, the adult molt (when a bird loses it’s flight feathers) takes place during the summer and lasts for about 25-40 days. The adults regrow their flight feathers are about the same time the goslings grow theirs. Next spring, the geese will migrate to the same area they were born and the young ones will join flocks with other young geese. They will begin to reproduce when they are two or three years old. In a healthy environment Canada Geese can live for twenty-five years.

Jockeying for position under mom’s tail-feather umbrella, these goslings are likely weathering their first storm at just a few days old. When the goslings are born they are bright yellow with a dark beak, looking more like baby ducks. They are able to swim as soon as they are born and the adults will lead them to safety in open waters. As the weeks pass, their yellow down darkens and changes to gray. By nine weeks old their plumage has significantly changed and their flight feathers have grown in, and they begin to look more like adult birds with a jet-black head and neck, white cheeks and chinstrap, tan breast, and brown back. Interestingly, the adult molt (when a bird loses it’s flight feathers) takes place during the summer and lasts for about 25-40 days. The adults regrow their flight feathers are about the same time the goslings grow theirs.

Next spring, the geese will migrate to the same area they were born and the young ones will join flocks with other young geese. They will begin to reproduce when they are two or three years old. In a healthy environment Canada Geese can live for twenty-five years.

For my favorite stalker, giraffe-in-a-tree. I salute you! (via njwight)

For my favorite stalker, giraffe-in-a-tree. I salute you!

(via njwight)

Trippy Canadian Geese

Trippy Canadian Geese

Elusive and very rare Goose Snake… (as always, click for larger image.)

Elusive and very rare Goose Snake…

(as always, click for larger image.)

Feathered Friday’s…She was a long, cool woman in a black neck…

Feathered Friday’s…She was a long, cool woman in a black neck…

Little Canuck-2 day old Canada Goose hatchling. At 3-4 ounces, these little guys hatch able to see, eat and walk around. The first 24 hours is critical as this is when bonding takes place. Unlike most other feathered friends, goslings do not recognize their own kind and so, if the mother is not around, they will bond do whomever is there to take care of them. Within the first 24 hours they will take their first swim. The marsh I frequent has several nesting pairs of Canadian geese in March-April and this year I was lucky enough to see one little gaggle of goslings when they wandered up on shore for some salad.

Little Canuck-2 day old Canada Goose hatchling. At 3-4 ounces, these little guys hatch able to see, eat and walk around. The first 24 hours is critical as this is when bonding takes place. Unlike most other feathered friends, goslings do not recognize their own kind and so, if the mother is not around, they will bond do whomever is there to take care of them. Within the first 24 hours they will take their first swim. The marsh I frequent has several nesting pairs of Canadian geese in March-April and this year I was lucky enough to see one little gaggle of goslings when they wandered up on shore for some salad.

GORTEX footwear.

GORTEX footwear.

A giant hug to all my fabulous tumblr supporters and those who joined me on @njwight. Consider yourself “goosed”!

A giant hug to all my fabulous tumblr supporters and those who joined me on @njwight. Consider yourself “goosed”!

No traffic…

No traffic…