My neighbors are a flock of Canada Geese, Mallards, Pecking Ducks and 50+ other species of birds including raccoons & possum. Geese are one of the best parents in the animal kingdom- better than most people around here! They are extremely protective over their gosling (baby geese). However, a goose’s worst enemy, besides humans, are swans.
One day as we were walking Juno (my awesome dog) to the lake, I noticed by the pipes a little gosling with two parents- one of which has a broken wing. The next evening, the parents weren’t there…but the gosling was. The third day, the gosling was alone & was limping terribly. Anything could have happened- a Swan could’ve beaten up the gosling or a Mallard…or a rotten person may have hurt it, who knows.
Then, today, 8am in this sunny Tuesday morning- the trio of pecking ducks came for their breakfast. I went out to give them their seeds, then I saw that same injured gosling. I called my dad up so that he can get a hold of a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and I took out a towel & gently herded the little goose in my house.
I kept the little fella in my back yard the whole day, gave it a little shower (they love that!) & left it a tray of water and birdseed- which it readily gobbled up including our lawn! LOL Then later today I took the towel out again, wrapped the little goose up in my arms & tied a piece of cloth over it’s eyes to prevent it from freaking out (remember: stress is a killer, darkness calms nervousness & fear). So, we took a drive up North Ocean Ave. to the Wildlife Hospital and left the gosling in the hands of the Vets. From there they will treat it’s injured leg & give it to a ornithologist who will release it back in the wild.
I wish for the best future for that little spunky gosling & hope it’ll spread it’s wings to freedom!
