Seems like many of our resident birds have been doing their best to keep the species numbers up. My pictures are not very good, (taken in the evening with no flash and the little ones move, or through glass with zoom and crop) but I thought I would share any way.
First is from last night. Teenage goslings in the grass. (there were 2 sets of parents, 4 and 10 goslings between them)
I tried to sneek out on the deck to get a better picture, but the parents spirited them away to the water.
I was able to get this picture of all of them in the water. I was able to get a confirmed count of 14 goslings in all. They are quite large and I think will have a good chance of making it to adulthood. Quite a family!
This picture was taken a couple weeks ago. Eight is enough for this couple.
I haven't seen them again. I did see a couple a few days ago with 3 signets (same ones? maybe not) Later didn't see any little ones, but then saw a head poke out from mama's back. Cute factor= about 9.5
That is all I have for now. Seems the water birds like to come into our area with their young just at dark. I will try to get more pictures.
Meanwhile, please post your baby boom pictures here for all to see.
cparts, they are lovely pix of the goslings and Swans. It is such a treat to see the little ones on the backs of the parents.
Wonderful pics cparts!! Thanks for posting them!
That must be wonderful to get to watch them like that. Thanks for sharing!
very neat!
Adorable cpart! That really is some flock. I haven't seen a cignet for about 40 years. There was a group of them where my family lived on Lake Michigan. The swans would come right up to our back door begging, but not let us out the door!
reminds me of one evening last summer...around 5pm. I had noticed a group of goslings similar to your 2 sets of parents and all their young. After parking my car to get a closer look, I decided to try and get them a bit closer to the lake rather than the road. Well apparently Geese have no fear of cars, because these parents led the group right into the road. So since i could not divert their path I became a Road Guard, much like when I was in the Air Force or even 5th grade as a crossing guard. So that training came in handy after all!!
You're a real hero Birdie! Wish you were available here when the geese cross the road.
But why did the goose cross the road?
Did it have a personality disorder and think it was a chicken?
;-)
Thanks everyone for your comments and stories I love them.
These were unusually large groups of young ones. (for us to see anyway) Last year we saw one gosling all spring. Always fun to see the little ones and the proud parents.
I esp like seeing the baby ducks and mergansers. Those little guys spin like tops as they swim, like they have too much energy. You cannot help but smile.
Haaaaa. Good one Resin!
Pretty good one Resin.
Got into the canoe and went upstream looking for duckings, fawns etc. It was fairly chilly 45' with a good wind and didn't see too much. I was surprised as we normally see many this time of year.
I did get too close to a red-winged blackbird's nest though, built in the cat tails.
The RW blackbirds are very protective of their nests. We were being swooped at and I tried to get a picture. It was just point and shoot, but I thought it turned out quite interesting.
Oh , that RW's nest is a work of art!
it is just mazing that each blade of grass was individually placed specifically and purposefully. Wonder how long that took to build? And that's not even counting the flying back and forth and searching for the perfect piece each time. Whew, sure am glad we don't have to do that a few times a year.
Yes, they are pretty neat.
We have an oriole nest near our deck. We watched her start to build it and then were out of town. She started with a large hammock and then turned it into the pouch like nest that they have.
We could not figure out what she was using to make the nest. They are very thin gray pieces of long grass. She used all the same type of material to make the nest.
I will see if I can get a picture.
I had taken a picture of the oriole building her nest before we left on vacation. I found it!
I will take a picture of the finished product later. I believe it has little ones hatched by now.
This was taken a couple weeks ago also. It is a turkey on her nest under a brush pile.
DH was walking on the brush pile, going to cut the good wood from it, when he looked down and saw her. We watched her for weeks and it looked like every egg hatched from this nest by the end of last month.
Duck nests and ruffled grouse nests are easier to find. The mother will fly up, if you get too close. Not with a turkey, she will sit tight to her nest. We have only found 3 in the last 13 years.
Found this picture on that same disc of some goslings when they were much smaller. It was cold and the little ones would crawl under the mother's wing and hide for warmth.
Here is a picture with all 4 of the little ones under the mama's wing. I tried to get a picture of one of them poking their head through the feathers, but missed it. Cute factor of 9.5
The goslings are adorable cparts!
I would to be able to see an oriole build its nest!! I found an old one from last year earlier this spring. Just so amazing how some birds put so much work into their nests and others barely make it thru the nesting season!
I missed our goslings at the cute stage, darn it...they have 8...must be the year for big broods maybe!
That is what I was thinking. Baby boom for sure.
Yes, the nests are amazing. They are really artists!
How can the Orioles build a nest at the end of branches that are hanging down?
Do the baby Goslings sleep cuddled between mama's wings and body?
BirdieBlue,
Can't find my photo of an oriole nest...but their nest are made like a pouch, not a traditional type of cupped nest. The top is left open.
this show what it looks like... http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/baltimore-oriole.html
Like an African Weaver bird!! So cool!! ^_^
It is a cool nest. Sorry, been working so no pictures yet. This weekend I promise! I am not sure how they build the nest into a pouch. They used a dead branch, which is good for us, because we can see them, with no leaves in the way. I think the little ones are nice and cozy in that pouch.
I believe the goslings do sleep under mama's wing when they are young. The nights are quite cool and they probably need the extra warmth. Still going down below 40' at night.
Still haven't seen any ducklings, but did see a fawn last night. The turtles have not started to lay their eggs yet either. It is a couple weeks late for them.
Birdieblue and all others that wanted to see the finished nest. This is the same nest that the oriole was building earlier.
Sorry, hard to get the camera to focus. I have a zoomed shot.
another.
Wow!! I would sure love to see a time lapse of the building of one of these!!
Thanks! That is Awesome!
Yes, I am sorry we were out of town for that weekend. It would have been a great oportunity to take pictures of the creation of this nest.
More baby pictures.
This mama has all her ducklings in a row.
Is this mama as well organized with all her goslings in a row?
So cute cpart!!
These guys look just like their parents already. (the three in the middle are the young-uns.
Thanks pelle. Here is the last one for the day.
Here is a mess of geese, that had just made a mess on the grass.
How wonderful to be seeing so many gorgeous babies. Thanks for posting them. Will they hang around your area until Autumn/winter?
