A Perfect Formation, Descanso Gardens, La Canada, California, 2017. Photo by Peggy Starr.
Gosling — we’re not talking Ryan Gosling here but his avian relative — the Canadian goose and a gaggle of young ones…the goslings.
Every spring at Descanso Gardens, a lovely pair of Canadian geese gets in the mood and I get to see their brood! Since Canadian geese mate for life, I’ve followed a few generations of their offspring over the years. Thanks to the Canadian geese, I get to see goslings grow up right before my eyes.geese.video
This year, the black-necked, white chin-strapped geese had 4 lovelies. The newly hatched geese look like ducklings with their yellow downy feathers. Quickly, they morph into fuzzy gray fluff balls. And now, just a few weeks later, they’ve grown their flight feathers and are a smaller version of their watchful parents.
I often see them lazing around the Mulberry pond, walking around the lake, or swimming in a perfect line down an oak-lined stream. The parents are ever attentive and protective –mom in front and the gander in the rear of the brood.
It Was a Long Day!
Sometimes they stroll along the promenade or in the open area under the oak grove. In the late afternoon, they’re often flaked out on the lake bank after a long, long day.
Canadian geese can travel more than 1,000 kilometers in a day while migrating. They can literally fly around the world in 40 days if they wanted to! But Descanso’s Canadian geese know they have a good thing going. Why would they migrate when they have their own “La La Land” at Descanso Gardens?
Mini-Me.
Living just a short walk from the Rock River, we see multiple families of Canada geese each spring. They seem to grow before your eyes.
Aren’t they wonderful? I’m so glad they grace us with their presence.
What a wonderful picture and story! How many times have I been to Descanso and not noticed them.
Wonderful story. I’d never thought about the geese flying around the world and especially in only 40 days!
Had to look up how fast they go and it is between 40 to 70 m.p.h. depending on wind.
They are interesting and pretty creatures. Thank you for keeping our eye on nature.
The photo you included is the perfect picture of a contented family! May we all relish its beauty in the animal kingdom.
We see a flock of geese on the Griffith Park golf course when we walk our dogs, and there is something magical about it when they take off and fly overhead. I don’t know if they’re Canadian Geese or not, but they sure are pretty. This was so interesting, and I love the photos. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, quelle famille! I love your photographs, you capture their grace, their certainty and their happiness to be in Descanso! This is so nice to see and read on the eve of my going to NY for a while. I will take this with me and show my family. Thank you so much Susan!
What a lovely post. Life renewing itself. What is more beautiful? Thanks for this precious intervention into my cubicle! Made my day.