This lone Canada Goose showed up here Friday during our two
day storm and is still here after five days. Seeing a Canada Goose is no big
deal where I come from in Western Oregon, but here on the lower Colorado River
it is unusual. Looking at past data, the
Canada Goose has normally been seen one at a time with the exception of CibolaNational Wildlife Refuge where they can be seen in the hundreds. My guess is
this guy got dropped from the flock that was heading south during the storm,
maybe tired, maybe injured, and put down here behind the safety of the chain-link
fence to rest and feed on our green grass. He may feel safe from people because
of the fence, but I doubt that he is aware that a Bobcat is known to prowl
around on that side of the fence. I will
keep watching. This goose joins a small
list of other lone species I have noticed here at Buckskin. The first was a single Western Grebe over a
month ago that seemed to be under sized and spent most of his day sleeping. For several weeks now I have been watching
a lone Common Loon busy fishing and preening. Most unusual would have to be a
Red-breasted Nuthatch in an olive tree at the Ranger Station that I watched for three days. Lone
and unusual species catch my eye and give me a special joy in following.
I certainly don't know much about birds, but seem to remember that geese mate for life and travel in pairs when they do so. Because of that minor factoid, I try to count the geese in any v-wing to see if it is an odd number. If so, I mourn the loss of a mate for one of them. Mayhap this is the case here?
ReplyDeleteProbably need to take into consideration in both cases that it could be a first year bird and not hooked up with a mate yet. In other words, his first trip south and with mating season not until spring, has not made a selection yet.
ReplyDeleteI just read something that contributes to the subject,-- Canada Geese usually don't mate until the third year. So, sounds like they could make a couple of trips south before pairing up.
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