#canada geese

[uwmspeccoll]

GOOSE WATCH 2024

It's been a busy day in the goosey world of our green roof! This morning, mama goose (aka Mildred) was off the nest hanging out with papa goose (aka Horace) near the solar panels. I assume she was getting a little snack and gathering energy to keep sitting on those eggs!

Later, in the early afternoon, SPL Graduate Intern Jenna got this video of Mildred checking on her eggs and then settling back down on her nest to keep them warm. There are at least seven eggs, which is one more than we initially thought! If I'm correct, we're on week four of egg incubation so we're expecting baby geese pretty soon! We can't wait to see those little goslings toddling around the roof! Exclamation point!

Stay tuned for more breaking goose news and read our first post about this year's geese here.

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

[woosh-floosh]

Some various beasts

[bob-artist]

My brain: You have so many tight deadlines. So many things on your weekly schedule. So many important jobs. You have to get important work done!!!

My hands:

[emzailor]

this meme came to me in a vision. I don’t know what it means I just saw this vibrant image in my mind very suddenly and had to create it. enjoy?

[bug-buddiest]

this goose couple really spoke to me for some reason. I couldn't stop staring at them even though there were less common birds around

[bootleg-nessie]

Canada geese are always seductively begging to be grabbed by the neck with both hands and choked to death

[if-i-eated-soaps]

i decided to BRUSH up (haha) on my digital painting skills today! i painted on top of a photo i took, so it's not completely an original piece, but it was definitely good practice for painting textures!

(original picture vs painted over version)

[wildlifetracker]

Comparison between mallard (top) and Canada goose (bottom) tracks.

[photosofsouthwestmt]

Smooth Sailing

I found a couple of Canada geese on the kids’ fishpond. It was cloudy but the water was smooth as glass.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, Auto ISO (220), ET 1/640, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

[dk-thrive]

Twilight. 28° F, feels like 22° F. 6:57 am. February 5, 2024. Cove Island Park, Stamford, CT. (@dkct25)

[todaysbird]

Today's bird is this pair of Canada Geese!

[uwmspeccoll]

A Goose Family Feathursday

Mildred and Horace Start a Family!!

Every spring for the past few years a mating pair of Canada Geese take up residence on the green roof outside our window for a couple of weeks. We've named them Horace and Mildred, and we did a post about them in 2021. We wondered if they would ever establish a nest in the roof's sedum, but they just hang out for a few weeks and then depart. This year they finally decided that our roof was suitable to start a family and about 20 days ago Mildred set up housekeeping with a downy nest and six eggs near one of the vents on the roof. We are all very excited here in Special Collections, and we maintain daily goose alerts!

Mildred will incubate her brood for about 30 days, rarely leaving the nest. She is a very devoted mother. Horace on the other hand is usually gone during the day, so we rarely see him. Canada Geese are monogamous and mate for life, so we don't think he's cheating on Mildred, but we all thought he would be more present as the male usually hangs about to help guard the nest, but apparently he has other ideas.

We should see some hatchlings in about ten days or so, and we'll bring you an update then. While we are interested in seeing the couple nest on our roof, we also have concerns. There is no water, and the goslings will be susceptible to falling off the roof and becoming prey to raptors and other avian predators, especially the peregrine falcons that raise their own families on the nearby roofs of our campus's tallest buildings. Nature will have its way, but we do hope that Mildred and Horace have strategies for keeping their family safe.

Stay tuned!

View more Feathursday posts.

[sumbluespruce]

Holding pattern

2/24

[bob-artist]

I can’t believe I didn’t see your first quadraped Canada goose and follow you immediately, you are the artist I have been looking for my whole life

LOOK AT THAT BEAK. I just love that I'm suddenly being united with all the Canada goose appreciators after a lifetime of only knowing haters!

And now, I must share with you one of my favorite goose photos, which also demonstrates my prowess as a photographer. 😆

Did I continue down the sidewalk? 100% yes. :D

[mossfroot]

Canada Geese Branta canadensis

[thomas--bombadil]

A gosling gets protection from adults.