Neighborhood Geese?

   According to all range maps, the Canada Goose lives primarily in the northern regions of the United States and Canada.  They migrate southward during the late fall but then return north to breed and raise their young.  These range maps may need to be updated as the geese are now regular, year-round residents of the Deep South.  They do not migrate as the weather warms but rather stay and nest here.  On any given day, you can hear them honking as they fly overhead.  They fly low and often stop in to visit the Bayou after they visit my cousin's place just west of us along the shore. Dozens go to her place to feed and eventually bring their young with them.  The flock is growing! The geese are here to stay, obviously.

  This morning as I was throwing the net for mullet, I heard that familiar honking as the geese flew over the pier.  They, as always, headed to get breakfast but then, instead of flying back eastward, they swam down the shoreline.  Several times, they would stop to investigate small clearings in the marsh.  The group started out quite large but I noticed as they made their way toward our pier, the number was dwindling.  Several pairs were staying behind in the marshes.  Soon there were only five left.  Those five lingered a bit before taking flight eastward.  Where were the others?  Perhaps they stayed behind to check possible nesting sights?  It would be nice if the geese did nest nearby!  While a lot of people complain about the noise and mess the geese make, I feel they are just about the same as any other critter and, yes, I like the critters a lot better than I do most people.  Give me the geese any day!