Mr. Lonely

We kept only the single pair of geese over winter. Mother Goose has been sitting on a clutch of eggs for ever so long now. We were kind of expecting her to hatch some goslings out about a week ago, but nothing so far. Either we miscalculated or she's sitting on duds.

Nevertheless, she seems bound and determined to do her motherly duty and leaves the nest only a couple of times a day for a very short time. A VERY short time. She'll grab a few mouthfuls of grass on her way down to the pond, take a quick sponge bath, drink some water, then run (literally) back to her nest. It's amazing how female geese can survive on so little when they're sitting on eggs. She never touches the food or water we put in her enclosure. (Ungrateful little feathered twit.)

This all has left Father Goose a very lonely fella. He's much too far above the other poultry to associate with them although he could if he wanted. He spends a lot of time walking around by himself honking forlornly and looking as if he's lost his best friend.

He's extremely protective of his mate and will raise a huge kafuffle whenever anyone goes close to her and the nest. But lately I think he's reached his limit of alone time.

Now when you approach, he still comes at you hissing with neck thrust forward in a threatening manner. But if you talk to him, he lowers his high standards and seems to enjoy just having another being to hang out with for a while. Today when I was working on one side of the fence, he followed along with me nonchalantly eating grass and dandelions on the other.

Something is going to give in the incubating egg/gosling department soon. Then he'll have his little lady love back out and about to keep him company. We're hoping it will be with several round, fat, fluffy goslings waddling behind Mom and Pop.