Defending the Gosling.
My friend, Carmel, took me to Island Park in Thompson Falls, Montana recently. One of the highlights for me was a juvenile Canada Goose and his parents.
When first we saw the family, Carmel and I were surprised that we saw only one juvenile. According to Wikipedia, the female lays two to nine eggs. We’d often seen many Canada Goose families with several goslings trailing behind the parents. Was this an unusual only child? Or, had none of his siblings survived gosling-hood?
The parents appeared to be trying to teach the lone gosling how to swim against the current of the river. The lone gosling appeared to be struggling to keep up.
I thought that the parents were pretty careless with their single offspring. Never a “How ya doing back there, champ?” or “You can do it, son.” The parents may have been relying on their reputation for protectiveness. I would soon see it in action.
First, I saw the gosling talking to his father. The youngster appeared to have a complaint. I thought the parents were too busy foraging to listen.
I was wrong.
Suddenly, the father charged at another goose. “Did you tell my son he couldn’t couldn’t play first base?!”
“No, Dad. That’s not what happened. He said I couldn’t play the bass! You’re so embarrassing!”
