Adopted by geese, befriended by ducks... : )

[lovedbygeese]

Hi,

About 4 or 5 years ago I was adopted by a family of geese at a nearby park. I'm by no means their only source of feed and conversations, but they do guard me as one of their own and have included me in so much of their lives that I really don't mind the cost of feed : ) I've met the brides, been introduced to the goslings, mitigated a few tussles, have probably walked miles with them, recognize their friends, know their dislikes/fears, rode out the whims of nature with them, have protected them from of things like 6 ft long snakes, haboobs, feral cats, etc. ...just the whole scope of life! I love these good little ganders! There were about seven a few years ago, now there's just the 4. They know the sound of my walk and recognize me so well they've always run to me when they've seen me which makes my heart glad (and each has his name.) They're beautiful so photographers regularly take their pics to post online (being a shy person, though, I only wish they wouldn't take mine as well : ) )

In the course of knowing them, I've learned the rhythms of nature and am frequently spellbound by it's ever-evolving, earthy perfume, always enjoy the stars and many a moonrise. I've become well-acquainted with a host of ducks, too, as a result of having to rescue several kinds of birds there (incl. geese) from fishing line, tackle, lead weights, barbed hooks and infections. Many birds there are injured and left permanently disabled and deformed as a result of living at this park that calls itself a preserve, an organization and an institute (where catfish are apparently dying now, too.) But, as a result, I've had the good fortune of getting to know good people in one of the areas' best wildlife rescues (although it's quite distant from the park.) And as a regular who's seen too much suffering, I've started researching anything I can about the park to see where things might be able to be bettered for the birds' sake.

So...while they're not my actual charges (would that they were!), I've been adopted by geese and befriended by ducks and occasionally koot. I'm their free meal and champion. Instead of being in my backyard, they're just down the road : )

I'm up for learning anything I can to their benefit and it would be a treat to meet people as wonderful as these birds have been to me : )

Thanks!

It's nice to meet everybody

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

BYC has a very useful learning center

Some of the photos of my yard .....






And again /.....






One of them days ......






New additions to the flock






What Mom has to put up with ....






Awe nap time .....





It is nice when thy are little .......





1 hour, 1 day, 1 week old what a difference .....





A swim

Inspection time so fall in .........
























gander007

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. I'm a chicken person and don't know much about geese or ducks (although I've had a few ducks), but I have to admit that ducklings are the ultimate in cute. You might want to get in touch with the members at our geese and duck sections at https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/47/geese and https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

You've received some great advice and links above.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

What a nice intro! You have such a kind heart! I have all kinds of wild birds that have adopted me....Wild Ravens, Hawks, Turkeys, all kinds of birds. LOL They look forward to their daily feedings and interacting with me. At least I THINK they enjoy me being around.

Enjoy your wild feathered friends and welcome to our flock!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[lovedbygeese]

In memory of Il se...

Well...I gave myself a day to write--mostly to stop shaking so hard and sobbing and to start calling my friends in bird rescue for both ideas and to see if anyone reported a body or body parts. I now only have three gander brothers. Someone or something killed the first one I ever met. I called him "Il se" but his full name meant "He remembers me" in French b/c he was the first I'd met at the park, and the next day he introduced me to his then 5 or 6 (at the time) brothers and sisters and remembered me faithfully and warmly ever since. Two of those brothers or sisters were lost quickly in the first year I knew the family. To begin with I've been told that there had been a flock of 9 (not 8) and now there's only 3---reduced to so few in maybe only 6 or so years. So my boy has rejoined his flock, now. Il se and I were as close as a human and a goose could be. I've always told him and his brothers that if I died tomorrow and there was no god, only geese, I'd be in heaven. I just never expected one to go so soon and definitely not my Il se.

I went to the park the day before yesterday to visit my boys after recovering from throat surgery and discovered him missing. You could kind of tell from the behavior of his brothers that he wasn't just missing, but likely killed by either a human or animal predator (as one had killed another bird in the same area the night before surgery.) I walked every inch of that park yesterday. Not even a bill or a skull remain. It looks like whoever it was claimed my boy and a chicken in the taking. The park has drained nearly all the water from their man-made lakes to sell the water, allowing the ground to become parched, with only a small margin of water allowed in one small spot on two distant "lakes" (grass had grown up to 10 in high in others.) What cover was there for the birds has been harshly clear-cut, leaving them few places to go. My boys aren't flyers, they'll sooner swim or walk and the next nearest body of water isn't near enough to run to should they have needed to escape.

Now Il se's brothers have had to move to the only body of water large enough that they can swim out to the middle of it for safety. The only "lake" maintained b/c it's a revenue lake--kept open and fully stocked for fishermen. They're scared to death there and the "lake's" heavily populated by fishermen and people who let their dogs flush the birds. It's where the majority of birds have had to move, though, incl. the newest addition, a Toulouse. This "preserve" that prides itself on it's birds is killing them by denying them water and clear-cutting. In Il se's memory, I'm more dedicated to the cause of making sure those birds are protected/provided for so no others should have to be lost.

He wasn't just mine, but I loved him.

I've attached a pic of him---not my favorite : )---where he stands with his brothers on the "lake" where they brothers have been driven to. Is se's the one in the back with grey flecks. I'll get better pictures up later.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh, I am so so sorry.

I can imagine how empty your heart must feel. I hope your heavy heart can heal soon.

 

[gander007]

In memory of Il se...

Well...I gave myself a day to write--mostly to stop shaking so hard and sobbing and to start calling my friends in bird rescue for both ideas and to see if anyone reported a body or body parts. I now only have three gander brothers. Someone or something killed the first one I ever met. I called him "Il se" but his full name meant "He remembers me" in French b/c he was the first I'd met at the park, and the next day he introduced me to his then 5 or 6 (at the time) brothers and sisters and remembered me faithfully and warmly ever since. Two of those brothers or sisters were lost quickly in the first year I knew the family. To begin with I've been told that there had been a flock of 9 (not 8) and now there's only 3---reduced to so few in maybe only 6 or so years. So my boy has rejoined his flock, now. Il se and I were as close as a human and a goose could be. I've always told him and his brothers that if I died tomorrow and there was no god, only geese, I'd be in heaven. I just never expected one to go so soon and definitely not my Il se.

I went to the park the day before yesterday to visit my boys after recovering from throat surgery and discovered him missing. You could kind of tell from the behavior of his brothers that he wasn't just missing, but likely killed by either a human or animal predator (as one had killed another bird in the same area the night before surgery.) I walked every inch of that park yesterday. Not even a bill or a skull remain. It looks like whoever it was claimed my boy and a chicken in the taking. The park has drained nearly all the water from their man-made lakes to sell the water, allowing the ground to become parched, with only a small margin of water allowed in one small spot on two distant "lakes" (grass had grown up to 10 in high in others.) What cover was there for the birds has been harshly clear-cut, leaving them few places to go. My boys aren't flyers, they'll sooner swim or walk and the next nearest body of water isn't near enough to run to should they have needed to escape.

Now Il se's brothers have had to move to the only body of water large enough that they can swim out to the middle of it for safety. The only "lake" maintained b/c it's a revenue lake--kept open and fully stocked for fishermen. They're scared to death there and the "lake's" heavily populated by fishermen and people who let their dogs flush the birds. It's where the majority of birds have had to move, though, incl. the newest addition, a Toulouse. This "preserve" that prides itself on it's birds is killing them by denying them water and clear-cutting. In Il se's memory, I'm more dedicated to the cause of making sure those birds are protected/provided for so no others should have to be lost.

He wasn't just mine, but I loved him.

I've attached a pic of him---not my favorite : )---where he stands with his brothers on the "lake" where they brothers have been driven to. Is se's the one in the back with grey flecks. I'll get better pictures up later.

What wonderful looking geese and to have such a nice looking lake to play in

I defiantly can read your pain here