But, guess what? THEY'RE NOT FROM THE ORIGINAL MOTHER GOOSE WHO WAS NESTING ON OUR ISLAND!!!
I glanced out the window this afternoon to check on Mother Goose and Hen Mallard, and I immediately became soooooo excited I couldn't see straight. There on the island right next to the goose nest were seven little goslings. I thought....Wow! They've hatched! But, they're a little over a week early - very weird.
Then, I looked out toward the middle of the pond, and I saw another pair of geese swimming around. After watching for a while, I came to realize that this family of geese were new comers. I know the original gander because he has a weird feather sticking up on his back, and he was swimming out in the pond.
We have no idea where this new family was nesting...perhaps behind the dam or somewhere else out of sight. But, they sure wanted that island to protect their little ones through the night. The little family went out for a swim a while later, and our original Mother Goose returned to her nest. Mr. FtK watched them for a while, and he said that at one point, the new gander shoved our original goose right off her nest and pushed two of her eggs out of it as well. Mr. FtK intervened and put the eggs back on their nest.
Some interesting battles of King of the Island ensued through the afternoon and early evening, but when we came home from a ball game tonight, all 12 fowl were happily sharing the island.
God help that fox if he tries to mess with four grown geese, a hen mallard, seven feisty little goslings, and Mr. FtK!!
Here are a few more pictures of the little cuties. They were adorable swimming across the pond...
The saga gets more interesting by the day...
