The nesting Canada goose we’ve been monitoring on Sligo Creek day and night for a few weeks continues to face threats from every direction. Sometimes, though, she catches a break — our Mama Goose getting to enjoy a day or two of relative calm. The Bambi Brigade she meets in our latest video celebrates a few of these kinds of days.
Even after Won-ok and I see her sweet little face sitting atop her clutch each day, though, we get anxious as we turn to the previous night’s video footage captured by our trail camera.
It’s an odd juxtaposition for us: we just saw her, so we know she’s alive, yet we’re terrified by the prospect of what we might see in the film. (I realize there is no such thing as film anymore but it’s the easiest word to use here.)
Could something have happened to the eggs we don’t know about yet? We gasp when we see raccoons approach. Our hearts pound when a fox races by. Our stomachs tighten as stormwater runoff raises the water level by her nest.
Then Bambi comes along. (I realize the famous Bambi of book and movie fame is a male deer but it’s the easiest word to use here. Yes, you sense a theme developing. Sometimes I do have to use the easiest word to help convey a thought.) The first deer to visit jumps away when startled by our goose. Another saunters by, then another. Then a small herd that we nicknamed the Bambi Brigade drops by.
One deer bobs her head up and down staring at the goose; Mama Goose bobs her head up and down. Mutual curiosity if not a budding friendship seems to develop.
Another or perhaps a returning member of the Bambi Brigade appears to notice our camouflage camera and sticks her face in it — giving us another good laugh.
Enjoy two and a half minutes of adorable goose-deer encounters here. Also be sure to check out our ongoing Mama Goose Series of videos and stories. Life is about to get more stressful for our Mama Goose so do stay tuned for more updates!
Those head bobs are a warning to back off on both sides, they are not gentle nods. Those deer want full access to the water and that fierce Mother Goose will defend her nest. They have teeth on their tongues, will bite hard, raise a blood blister, and hit hard with their wings.
Deer bob their heads for the same reason, and flick their tails.. deer wants water access. Goose has prime real estate. Eggs should hatch within 22-35 days of being laid. Fantastic footage!!! Please keep us posted! Baby goslings are the best!
I don’t think we got a chance to thank you for your comment. We apologize. I wrote something in my head but, it turns out, not with my hands. We appreciate you taking the time to view our video and write. You just taught us a lot about geese and deer. We’re always grateful when people share their knowledge with us. The only problem with the real estate this particular goose chose is that she’s nesting on a floodplain. The other geese built their nests further away from the little streams, on higher ground. We’re still waiting to see if her eggs hatch.
My geese were not the best parents, I had to help hatch the eggs. The mother goose crushed a few. I put the shell against their abdomen and kept them warm watered and fed. They lived inside for awhile under heat lamps and then in a chicken tractor built for protecting young hens until they were big enough to get their feathers. The parents hovered and accepted them all right back.
My geese were not the best parents, I had to help hatch the eggs. The mother goose crushed a few. I put the shell against their abdomen and kept them warm watered and fed. They lived inside for awhile under heat lamps and then in a chicken tractor built for protecting young hens until they were big enough to get their feathers. The parents hovered and accepted them all right back.
Racoons, coyotes are terrible predators. So are big cats and grizzlies.
We have lost many ducks, chicks and geese. They are extremely vulnerable when they are nesting and goose eggs are deliciously high in cholesterol.
Wow. That’s an amazing story. Thanks for sharing that with us. What you did to try to help your geese is incredible. We’re working on our next Mama Goose series essay and photos now. A lot has happened since part 3. Hope to post it by the end of this week or early next week.