Fewer Goslings to be Seen in Wascana?

The local paper reports there will be "significantly fewer"#1 goslings in Wascana Park this summer. Perhaps so, but the ones I saw this afternoon remain significantly cute.#2

Geese take turns on guard duty while goslings feed. © SB

#1: The Leader Post said today that the late snow melt and heavy flooded delayed and destroyed many nests along the banks of the Wascana Lake and on Goose Island, a major breeding area. (I'd no idea where GI was until I checked Google maps; clearly, it's not someplace you can stroll over to.) On April 6 last year, the paper said, there 35 goose nests on the island; this year on that same date, no nests because there was a foot of snow — and then the banks flooded.

#2: These Canada geese know where the easy food is. And so the largest cluster on the lakeshore is beside the most popular parking lot. I couldn't sort out the families, and the cheeping babies ranged dramatically in size.

My copy of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says when people use the phrase "silly goose" it's because of "the alleged stupidity of this bird"; but these birds are actually very alert and very canny.

And, significantly cute.

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Overheard: 

Girl on bicycle, to friend cycling behind her: "Look! They're so tiny, but they still have wings!"

(Silly goose!)

Several families of geese and goslings peck for food in sand. © SB  

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