Goslings
Gosling Watch
I spotted the first goslings on May 11 and over the last 19 days of May, I saw six different clutches in various locations, and at various times of the day.
The table below shows the eight locations on my regular hike where I saw the goslings with their parents. From left to right, the locations in the table go west and upstream.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Location |
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
May |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thu |
30 |
6PM |
|
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wed |
29 |
5PM |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
| Sun |
26 |
12PM |
|
|
|
|
|
5,3 |
|
|
| Sun |
26 |
10AM |
7,4,3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thu |
23 |
4PM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| Wed |
22 |
9AM |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
5 |
8 |
| Tue |
21 |
4PM |
5 |
8 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tue |
21 |
10AM |
|
8,4 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
| Mon |
20 |
6PM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,3,3 |
| Sat |
18 |
9AM |
|
8 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
| Fri |
17 |
4PM |
|
7,5,4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mon |
13 |
5PM |
5 |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
| Sun |
12 |
4PM |
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sun |
12 |
9AM |
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sat |
11 |
10AM |
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| May 13 |
The reported average clutch size is 5 to 6 with a range of 2 to 11. I saw families with 3 (two families), 4, 5, 8, and 9 goslings. I think the seven I noted on May 17 must have been the family with 8. The sighting on May 26 is also likely this same family and either I miscounted or by then one gosling had died.
During April, I saw up to three times as many adult pairs at each location. Most of the pairs did not nest. Perhaps they were juveniles. Perhaps they there were infertility issues.
Since May 30th I have seen few geese at all and no goslings.
 |
| May 17 |
 |
| May 17 |
 |
| May 17 |
Generally, I learned that the adults kept the goslings close to the original nest site for the first week and then they visited locations both and up and downstream from the nesting site.
 |
| May 17 |
 |
| May 17 |
 |
| May 17 |
While nesting, the adults were generally very noisy when I came close to the sites, but after the goslings hatched, the adults were quiet.
 |
| May 17 |
 |
| May 17 |
When I was close, the adults routinely led the goslings from land onto water, or if on water, the adults led the goslings downstream. If the current was strong, the adults led the goslings to the furthest shore and hid them in grass by the edge of the river.
 |
| May 18 |
The goslings always stayed close the mother and the father was usually within about five meters.
 |
| May 20 |
 |
| May 20 |
 |
| May 20 |
With time, some of the families were tolerant of my presence and did not relocate when my presence was detected.
 |
| May 22 |
 |
| May 22 |
 |
| May 22 |
The goslings grew quickly from week to week and within three weeks they started to look like small geese. This presumes the clutch of five noted on May 29 was the same as the one noted on May 11.
 |
| May 29 |
 |
| May 29 |
The goslings will fly at about 9 weeks and will stay with the parents until the next spring.
 |
| May 30 |
 |
| May 30 |
References
The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.
Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.
Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.
Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.
Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.
No comments:
Post a Comment