June 1 was a beautiful Sunday morning in our area.
When I heard the clip-clop of a horse, I hurried for my camera to snap a photo of our neighbors heading for church.
Half an hour later ~ when we left for church ~ I took my camera along, hoping the two Canada geese families would be at the farm pond.
I was pleased that they were near the road.
Did you know these facts about Canada geese?
They mate for life and only search for a new mate if theirs dies.
Canadian geese have a large lifespan.
Some have lived up to twenty-four years in the wild.
However, most die within the first year of their life because of predators.
They can easily travel more than 1,000 miles in twenty-four hours while migrating.
The voices of males and females are different ~ females have a lower voice.
They have at least ten distinctive calls.
They have very good eyesight, and can see more than 180 degrees horizontally and vertically which is very useful during flight.
Their scientific name is Branta canadensis
They were endangered in the 1900s.
Programs were set up to save these geese, and it has been considered too successful.
Now they live in residential areas and are considered annoying neighbors to many humans.
Since only one or two couples hatch their eggs at my brothers’ farm pond, and leave when the goslings can fly, they have not yet become annoying to us.
I understand their becoming annoying, but those are two beautiful families — it’s interesting to me that, in many of the photos, not only are the parents paired, but the chicks appear to maintain a grouping with their parents. Wonderful post, Doris!
I notice that too when I drive by, that the two families are never far from each other, but the parents and babies each have their own group.
Very interesting!
I agree.