The Bayou Geese!

   Early this afternoon, a stroll in the gardens was in order.  Work had come to a cease simply because of the heat.  Strolling, however, is always a good thing as there is plenty of shade from the old oak trees.  Just as I was entering the shady nook near the back of the greenhouse, I heard an odd sound in the Bayou. Hmm, one hears tales of banshees, will-o-the-wisps and hobgoblins but this sounded like none of those.   It was a far sweeter sound!  Geese!  For others, this may be an everyday thing but, for me, it is a happy occasion to find the geese swimming about the shallow waters of the Bayou.  I decided to ease my way down near the marsh to see just how many were there.

  Oh, my!  There were dozens of the fine looking critters taking baths in one bend of the winding waterways.  Such splashing! Such honking!  The geese were having a grand old time this afternoon.  They knew how to beat the heat!  I watched the antics of the flock for about twenty minutes and noticed that there were lots of juveniles in the bunch.  That gives me hope that this flock is flourishing.  Eventually, they all congregated in one open spot.  After much conversing, they took flight and headed west of here.  I knew exactly where they were going.  My cousin lives about a quarter of a mile to the west and she puts out a fine buffet for the ducks and geese.  My fine feathered friends were heading to dinner. 

  While the visit with the geese was short lived, it thrilled me to see them here.  Perhaps they will take a liking to the Bayou and return each day.  They are welcome to stay for a spell.  

Our Geese Fly West

  You often hear of the migration of Canadian Geese.  Come winter months, the geese will fly south seeking a warmer climate where food is plentiful.  Then, come spring, they make the long flight back northward to nest and raise their broods.  It has been this way forever but, then, people got in the way and caused a bit of confusion, to say the least.  Canadian Geese were once a prime source of food for a lot of folks.  Because of their size and the sheer numbers (at the time), the geese were hunted to near extinction.  Alas!  People figured out a little late that their over-hunting was causing them a lack of hunting targets...the geese.  That said...something HAD to be done to remedy the situation.  The bright idea of captive hatching of goose eggs was the solution.  Yes.  It did solve the problem of the missing geese but the people doing the hatching merely released the young geese wherever they were hatched.   That was the beginning a problem for the geese and people who do not like geese pooping on their pristine lawns.

  Geese, like other migratory birds, do not automatically have it ingrained in their heads that they need to start a migration.  Migration is a learned deed and not instinctual.  Young birds follow what their parents do.  So when the elder birds take flight to avoid spending winter where food may become scarce, the juveniles follow.  The captive bred and released birds have no parents to follow so they stay where they were "planted".  No problem...except the birds are prolific when not faced with hunters shooting them.  Now people are complaining that there are too many geese when it is actually that the geese are just staying put in the only homes they have ever known.  No one taught them to migrate!  Yep, they do congregate in large flocks.  They do poop on the pretty, green grass.  They are loud, bossy and hungry all of the time.  In spite of all of that, they are pretty and rather interesting to watch.

  Here, we have resident geese.  Occasionally, a pair will attempt to nest in the marshes of the Bayou but, usually, their attempts are met with disaster as there are far too many predators roaming those same marshes.  The geese choose a slightly more inland nesting grounds around the many ponds, lakes and rivers.  Each year, the flocks grow in size and the birds appear to be healthy.  To answer the question as to why our geese fly west, we only have to understand just what is west of the Bayou.  Not far down the shoreline, there is a haven for wildlife better known as my cousin's yard.  Michelle feeds hundreds of geese and ducks that flock there twice each day.  She puts out enough grain for them, deer, raccoons and any other critters that might be hungry.  So, you see, our geese fly west to feast upon free food...I don't blame them!  Just because the geese do not have the instinctual habit of migrating north does not mean that they are stupid!  They just migrate where the food is!   Now you know!

Where Are You?

  Yesterday evening, it was already getting a bit dark when the old dog and I took our last walk for the day.  He meanders the marsh line hunting for the "perfect" spot then does his business.  I tag along to keep him out of trouble and also help him when he stumbles.  Mr. PJ is a good dog and has adapted well to living on the Bayou with one exception.  He has still not learned that the marsh can be a dangerous place and, under no circumstances should one go traipsing about the place.  There are far too many critters that reside there that can potentially hurt someone (even if that someone is a dog).  Yesterday, he was bent on entering the marsh.  It was all I could do to prevent that from happening.  We struggle to make the meeting of minds a nice situation but having a hard-headed dog makes it difficult.  I was just about to give up and let him fulfill his dangerous wishes when something else stepped in to give me a helping hand.  About twenty feet out in the marsh from the dog, a goose started calling.  The noise was exceedingly loud!  So loud, in fact, that it startled Mr. PJ and sent him running back up the hillside.  The goose in my new hero!  

  Again this afternoon, the geese were calling but this time they were overhead instead of in the marsh,  A dozen or so nice geese were leaving my cousin's house and made a large loop over house.  Mr. PJ could hear them but could not figure out where they were.  While nervously searching for the geese, he became a bit disoriented and promptly plopped himself down to wait for me to come to his rescue.  I have never seen a dog so happy as when he finally focused on me.  His tail started wagging and he trotted up to me with wild eyes.  Hearing those loud yells but not being able to find the birds caused him a bit of worry.  He sure was happy to hear me call him to come inside!

How Do They Know??

  Just down the shoreline a bit from the Little Bayou House is my cousin's house.  She has an impeccable yard with some of the finest grass around.  All of the beautiful lawn is one of the drawing factors of some friends of hers....that an a hefty helping of corn.  Michelle has been feeding the geese for a few years now.  Twice a day, geese will fly over the Bayou on their way to her house.  There, they feast on whatever she puts out for them, drink from the small wading pool of fresh water, munch a bit of that green, green grass and generally just hang out a bit.  After their refreshments, the geese take off for parts unknown.  The group divides and heads in different directions but one group of about thirty fly over our place as they head northeast.

  When she first started putting out food, just a couple of geese stopped in to visit. The numbers grew over the years until now she has well over sixty of her fine feathered friends to feed.  My pondering is how?  How do geese put out the word that there is free food at her house?  These geese come in from all over the place.  They do not live near here.  Some even fly all the way across the Bay to dine in her back yard.  So...do the geese honk loud enough that the neighboring geese get the idea and come?  Then, do those let others know?  There has to be some method of communication going on here for the geese to get the word of free food and come flying from all directions at the same time each day.  I am confused.

  Michelle is one of those folks who can befriend just about any critter alive.  She feeds them all from alligators to deer...from coons to birds...every critter is welcome at her place.  Still...how in the world do the critters know??

Oh, So Lonesome

  Once the morning dew had dried, I decided that I had enough of this inside stuff.  I was feeling some better and thought that a bit of fresh air might be in order.  I grabbed the camera and headed down to the pier.  It was calm and quiet as I eased down the planking.  For some reason the quietness seemed to echo across the water...if that makes any sense whatsoever.  Just as I reached the marsh edge a sudden blast of sound startled me!  I had thought I was quite alone in this trek but I soon discovered that another being was not too far from me!  

  A lone Canadian Goose let out the loudest honk I had ever heard!  I supposed my presence was a much of a surprise to him as his was to me.  He was just far more vocal than I was.  The goose swam out from the shore a bit and honked again.  About every ten minutes or so, the bird would stretch its fine neck skyward and call.  Poor thing...nothing was answering its call.  No other geese returned its plaintive cries. Hmmm?  Had this poor soul lost its mate in some tragic accident?  Or was it merely calling to gather friends for that long trek back northward. Either way, I got the idea that the bird was lonesome...oh, so lonesome.

  I stayed a short while on the pier and then ventured back to the Little Bayou House.  No use in trying to understand geese language as there was not a lot I could do to help my poor friend.  Inside, I could hear his calls for the next hour and then silence once again fell upon the Bayou. Perhaps all ended well for the goose.  I hope.

Fly South!

In preparation of the ice storm that is supposed to descend upon us tomorrow, we gathered in a bit more firewood.  Plenty would be needed to keep the wood stoves chugging out that warmth!  While out and about, I could hear the critters making preparations as well.  The squirrels were busy stowing away all of the sunflower seeds that they could steal from the bird feeders.  This was a hard job considering Ms. Ez was standing guard to make sure that her feathered friends got their share of the seed.  Several times, geese could be heard making a landing in the Bayou.  Their honking drew our attention as they made entry.  This is not an unusual occurrence but what stirred my curiosity a bit was the fact that the geese never stayed more than a few minutes before taking flight southward once again.  Do they know something that we don't?  Is this ice storm going to be a doozy and deal us with more than we expect?  I pondered that fact as I threw a few more logs in the bin.

Normally, the Canadian Geese will make their appearance in the Bayou around December or January and hang around until late March or early April.  They find all they need in the way of food and shelter.  My cousin, Michelle, graciously sets out a fine meal for the critters. They can get their bellies full of the best eatings around.  Then, after leaving her place, they settle in for the night among the mudflats of the Bayou.  In the depths of the marsh, they are sheltered from the cold winds.  Several times, a few of the birds have hung around the Bayou well into April and even into early May.  I had hopes that those few pairs were considering nesting near the Bayou but as of yet, there has been no luck in this happening.  Maybe someday, but right now, even though some might linger none have stayed.

I am hoping that the geese we observed for the past few days are not trying to tell us something about the coming weather.  What with the "spoons" found inside the persimmon seeds predicting a snowy winter and the geese flying even further south, I wonder if our two bins of split wood will be enough.  Perhaps after this bit of frigid, icy weather, Michael and I had better start our gathering once again.  Mark has already started scoping out some more dead trees that will need to be removed so I imagine I will hear the chainsaw buzzing once again come the first nice day after the storm.  How can a couple of geese throw me in such a tizzy?

A Little Late

Again this morning, I heard the familiar honking of the pair of Canadian Geese that are still hanging around the Bayou.  You would think that these two would have already headed north for the summer but for some strange reason, they seem to be in no hurry to leave.  When I heard them calling, Ms. Ez and I headed to the pier.  Sure enough, they were only about thirty feet from me when I neared the water's edge.  Both turned to stare at me as they paddled about in the water.  I am supposing they wanted to make sure that I was friendly before they took any chances of coming nearer.   I motioned for Ms. Ez to sit and stay so she would not frighten the geese.

Before I heard the geese, I was tossing out some old bread for the squirrels.  Sometimes, those critters will haul of with a slice of bread and leave the birdseed alone!  Realizing that I still had the bread bag in my hand, I pulled out a slice, broke it in chunks and offered it to the geese.  Eagerly, they swam toward me and ate the bread.  This seemed to ease any fear they had of me.  I tossed the remaining slice in to them and they hurriedly gulped it.  Not having any more bread with me, I started taking pictures.  The geese thought differently and demanded more bread.  They swam closer and closer to me all the while making funny, soft honks.  Their stares of want tickled me.  I am guessing that I should have been a never-ending food supply or something!

Once the geese realized that I had no more food to offer, they honked loudly as if scolding me.  Ms. Ez leapt to her feet and let out a single bark.  She did not like them being rude!  The geese did nothing except flap their wings and honk louder!  I do believe this pair is spoiled!  My cousin, Michelle, puts out a lovely buffet of corn for the ducks and geese of the area.  It seems to me that the geese think I should do the same!  Sorry, Geese, not happening!  You swim back down the shoreline a bit and eat at the local duck diner!  Michelle has it all set out for you!

Ms. Ez's new friends!

This morning, Ms. Ez and I made our daily trek to the pier.  She was extremely agitated since there were a number of squirrels waiting to be chased but her duty and loyalty kept her a few steps behind me.  Once we were on the pier, she suddenly lost all interest in the squirrels.  A new scent was on the air..something she had not smelled recently.  I could hear her sniffing the boards and then watched as she held her head high.  A new critter was nearby and she was so ready to chase it!  This time, I was one up on the dog!  I knew what was at the water's edge!  I had heard it (or them in this case!) long before I came out the door!

Once we reached where the marsh met the water, I could see three black heads just above the reeds.  The dog, being shorter, still had not seen these critters!  Honk, honk, honk!  Yep, three Canadian Geese had stopped in to visit.  As soon as that honking started, Ms. Ez shook with glee!  She loves the geese! Some fine hunting dog this would be! Being a Labrador Retriever, she is not particularly supposed to look at geese and ducks as her friends.  Poor misguided dog!  She wanted to play with the geese but they were having nothing to do with a big, clumsy mutt!  I have to admit that the geese were interested in the dog but their interest was not strong enough to come out of the water to meet her.

I am quite sure these geese are some of the ones that my cousin, Michelle, feeds on a daily basis.  They were far too friendly to be completely wild.   I do believe they were looking for a handout of corn!  Sorry, Geese, I have no corn!  You will have to be satisfied with my presence without the added benefit of breakfast.

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Many years ago..perhaps eons..when I was a mere child, whenever a group of children were together we played a game called "Duck, Duck, Goose!" All of the children would sit in a large circle facing inward. One player would be chosen to be the "Fox". The fox would walk around behind the children tapping them on the head calling each a "duck" and finally one as a "goose". The goose would jump up and chase the fox around the circle. If the fox made it back to the empty space before the goose caught him, the fox would sit in the circle and the goose would then become the new fox. The game would start anew with the new fox tapping each until a new goose was chosen and the chase would begin again! This was a great game as any number could play and it provided plenty of exercise! This was back in the day when children actually played outside! Yes..we actually did run around the yard, got dirty, smelled sweaty, got chiggers, had grass stains on our clothes and had a wonderful time!

Today when I was heading to the pier, I noticed two ducks just hanging out enjoying the sunshine! They have been visiting the pier for the past few days. Ms. Ez and I stopped and watched the ducks for a good while. They did not seem overly perturbed about our sharing the pier with them. Not once did they appear to be frightened enough that they might fly or make a hasty exit into the water. They just sat! Ezzy did her best to sit still and not try to "retrieve" these ducks. It would have been a natural instinct for her to chase them since this dog is part Labrador Retriever! She restrained though and sat at my side. The ducks appeared to be Mottled Ducks which will nest this far south so perhaps they will be my new neighbors! Last spring, we had seventeen little fluff-balls hatch in the Bayou! I am hoping that this tradition continues and we soon have hundreds of these ducks calling the Bayou "home"! My cousin, Michelle lays out a fine meal for the ducks each day so with the ready food supply and ample nesting areas maybe they will stay put!

As we were watching the ducks, Ms. Ez suddenly became extremely interested in something behind us. A sort of gurgled growl caused me to ponder just what she had seen. Since we just killed a cottonmouth moccasin in the yard, I was a tad concerned. I slowly turned to come almost face to face with a goose! A beautiful Canadian Goose was just paddling around near the marsh. Another waterfowl that had no fear of me nor Ms. Ezzy. This one, too, most likely feeds at Michelle's place. Usually the geese will be in pairs but I could only see the one. "Where is your mate, Goosey-goosey?" Ezzy and I pored over the marsh line...no goose. I silently hoped that one had not been killed. I will have to ask Michelle if the other has been coming to her place. It would be sad if there is only one.

Two ducks on the pier and one fine goose in the water! I do believe this was a successful visit to the pier! Duck, Duck, Goose!