A week after our last visit we returned to the pond at the nature center to see the nesting Canada goose again. Our first encounter was a mallard bobbing for food.
Mama goose was still sitting on her nest. 🙂
Papa goose eyed us and started swimming towards us.
But I continued with my photo shoot…
…until he decided to come even closer and make his point.
He came out of the water so we backed away and gave him some space, while continuing to take pictures. No need for a confrontation.
And then the mallard decided to come out of the pond, too. They seemed to be friends, nibbling on the same patch of moss.
On our way back to the car we spotted another trail that seemed to lead toward the Denison Homestead, a historic museum across the road from the nature center, where the daffodils were still blooming. We followed it to a crosswalk which led us to a great picture-taking spot.
I never saw daffodils so beautiful. They grew among the mossy stones, about and above them; some rested their heads upon these stones, as on a pillow for weariness; and the rest tossed and reeled and danced, and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew directly over the lake to them.
~ Dorothy Wordsworth
(Journal, April 15, 1802)
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
~ A. A. Milne
(Daffodowndilly)
We plan to come back every week, hoping to catch the goslings swimming in the pond one day. The average number of eggs is five and the parents take them to a brooding area soon after they hatch. I hope the brooding area is nearby so we don’t miss seeing them.
How wonderful to read this today – and your quotes ♥ Yesterday I saw a YouTube video about a duck and a dog who were best friends. Strange and wonderful things happen in the animal world all the time now – and that duck that swam to you seemed friendly to me – like he noticed that you were not a threat, but a friend – Happy Easter , dear Barbara – I am so glad I found you
Happy Easter, Leelah! I’m so glad we found each other, too. ♡ I love when I see those stories about interspecies friendships. The mallard and the goose seemed to be best buddies but today when I checked back the mallard was gone. But maybe I’ll see him again some day. Tim thought the goose may have been hoping for us to feed him a treat, but I wasn’t so sure.
Great day. Liked the first two photos of the birds – quite a view. Ha All your photos were lovely. That was a great photo shoot at the end with the daffodils. Such a great place to visit over and over. Yes, I too would have backed away from the male goose who came out of the water.
Thank you, Peggy. That mallard was so funny — those were the only pictures I could get of him until he decided to come out of the water. The goose wasn’t hissing or anything but I didn’t want to give him any reason to start so we kept our distance. We’ll keep visiting here for sure. I’m glad you enjoyed the yellow sun-bonnets. 🙂
The daffodils are glorious! I lived in a house in the country in NC when I was in my 20’s. In the spring, the whole front yard erupted in daffodils. It made me so happy!
Thank you, Anna! I can just imagine how happy a whole front yard full of daffodils would make you. 🙂 They really do signal the end of winter and the start of the sunny half of the year!
Such a lovely crop of Daffodils, Barbara! And I love seeing the progress of the Goose family … even if all they’re doing right now is waiting.
Thank you, Debbie! The daffodils made for a bright and lovely little side hike. The devoted mama sits on the nest for 28-30 days without eating or drinking. Amazing.
Those daffodils offer a veritable breath of spring! What a sight that must have been.
Mama picked a great spot to nest, no one will bother her out there on her little island. 🙂
It’s almost as if that little island was made just for that purpose. Prime real estate. 🙂 Once I did see a turtle climbing up on one of the rocks. Those daffodils were definitely a sight for winter-weary eyes.
The quotes are beautiful as are the daffodils, but I’m a big fan of Duck Butts! HA. What cute captures of them bobbing for food. 😃
You’ve got to admire a father being protective of his wife and babies. Chivalry isn’t dead.
Thank you, Suz! I tried so hard to get a portrait of that silly duck on the water but he was too busy bobbing to stay upright for more than a quick breath of air. 🙂 Papa goose is rather chivalrous, now that you mention it. 😉
Oh gosh the daffodils and spring time energy is so lovely in this post. As are the mallards waiting to hatch their brood and Papa keeping you from getting too close. I love how you honored that and backed off.
Spring is definitely in the air around here, although we just got a freeze watch for Monday night. We have to respect Papa goose, even though Mama is very safe from us out there in the middle of the pond. 🙂
The daffodils are so pretty. I could not imagine a yard of daffodils when you mentioned it on a previous post. I’m so glad that you made it back to get some photos. Beautiful, Barbara!
I love the poetry mate. You are my gateway to lovely poetry as I have not read much in the way of poetry in my life. It’s a pleasure!
The mother goose not eating or drinking for a month is amazing dedication. And interesting that the pair will move the goslings to a new location for their learning goose hood.
I think the violet flower might be a pansy. Maybe.
Out my kitchen window today I saw with my binoculars a small bird size of a sparrow that had a bright red chest and a blue head. It sat on a branch for a few minutes. I wonder what it’s name?
I love your blog!!
Thank you, TD! I enjoy your visits, too. Poetry has a wonderful way of lifting my spirits and connecting me to the emotions of other humans. I’m glad you’re enjoying the ones I share.
I wish I could go see the goose every day so I wouldn’t miss seeing the newly hatched goslings, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll get to see them somehow. I can just imagine how good it will feel to Mama to finally stretch her legs and get a bite to eat!
I found this online: “Pansies have four petals that point upward and one that points downward; violets have three petals that point upward and two that point downward.” Both are in the viola family. It’s hard to tell from my picture which way the petals are going.
Could your mystery bird be a Painted Bunting? All About Birds says they breed in your area.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Painted_Bunting/id
Yes, I think my mystery bird might have been a painted bunting. That is exciting! I’m going to keep a watch to see if any more come through. Painted buntings are gorgeous! Fingers crossed.
NBC just showed a piece on painting the Ukrainian (Easter?) Eggs. I think that you mentioned that you have some. GORGEOUS!!
I agree, painted buntings look so bright and beautiful. You’re lucky to have them in your part of the world! I do have some Ukrainian Easter eggs, but I collect the painted wooden ones. Once, many years ago, I took a workshop and tried making the ones with real eggs dipped in wax. They were so fragile that they finally broke on me. Sigh.
The home with the beautiful daffodils, rocks and very green lawn – what a great find for picture-taking Barbara. Interesting how the gander paddled right over, ready for a confrontation even though you were nowhere near the nest which was out in the water. Fiercely loyal to his mate. Interesting little patch of white on the gander’s plumage near the eye. An enviable walk and hope you catch those goslings once they burst out of the shell and begin toddling around.
You are very observant, Linda! I did not notice that little patch of white over the gander’s eye. I looked back at the first picture I took of him a few weeks ago and there is a little patch over both of his eyes. Interesting. Will have to do some research, thanks for pointing that feature out. I wonder if any of his offspring will have the same marking. The daffodils were so cheerful and we’ve had so much rain it’s no wonder the lawns are so green already.
Thank you Barbara. I wonder if that gander is missing feathers, or has leucism – how unusual is it for a bird to have white eyebrows? 🙂 I wonder what it is? It will be interesting to see if any offspring have the same markings. I saw the daffodils today at the Botanical Gardens – very cheery looking, though they were not bulbs that came up; they were planted in big planters, along with hyacinths, pansies and tulips. Our lawns are really green too – they’ll be even greener after the 1-3 inches of snow we’re getting tomorrow, just on the grass (supposedly).
I did some research and I think he is from a Canada goose subspecies, either a moffitti or a maxima or even a hybrid. I had no idea there are Canada goose subspecies. 🙂 It was 33°F when I got up this morning — brrr! One must check the temperature before heading outside! Spring flowers have to be hardy…
That is interesting Barbara – I would have just thought it was an oddity for the white markings. Have you ever seen a Cackling Goose? There was one a few years ago at Elizabeth Park. Almost identical to a Canada Goose, but a very short neck and a little smaller – at a glance, you wouldn’t think it was different. That’s what weather we had yesterday – you always get it the next day and it was cold and windy. It was snowing a couple of inches here today, so guess you’ll get some of the white stuff tomorrow too. Not very Spring-like weather at all!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cackling goose but then again I haven’t been paying close enough attention to subtle differences in goose markings! Kinds of sparrows are another bird that keep me guessing. But I might put my papa goose up on the What’s this Bird? Facebook group and see what the experts have to say. We had a nor’easter Monday night so we went to check on mama goose Tuesday morning. She had turned around and was facing in the opposite direction. They got white stuff up north, we got over an inch of rain.
Mama Goose is so pretty on her nest! The gardens filled with daffodils at Denison Homestead are gorgeous too. Daffodils lovingly remind me of my Mom, she would have loved to see that many all at once. 🙂
So wonderful to know that the daffodils remind you of your mom. They seem so cheerful and sunshiny to me. 🙂 Did you know there are over 13,000 distinct daffodil varieties? (I didn’t!) I agree, mama goose is very pretty!
13,000?? I did not know, wowza!!!!