Falling Goose Feathers and Growing Babies -- The Season of the Molt

Hansel and Greta with babies in early June.

Babies growing fast.

Families merging.

First of the intruders arriving for the molt.

"Damn, they're here again!"

More interlopers!

John and Mary and their fast growing goslings who are now dark grey.

 

It's the dreaded season of the molt.

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The molt is the six week period during early summer when Canada geese lose and replace flight feathers. But for that six weeks, they are grounded.

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It's generally not a happy time for the geese.

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Frustrated by their inability to fly and move about, the geese can be cranky and cantankerous.

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Usually gathering in "safety in numbera" groups just prior to the vulnerable molt, it's inevitable that territorial and dominance skirmishes break out with older or paired geese often chasing and pecking pesky yearlings or underlings who just don't show enough respect for boundaries.

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There is established hierarchy among Canada geese. And at no time is it more apparent than during the challenging molt.   

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At the Central Park Reservoir, new arrivals for the molt period flew in earlier this year than previous springs. Most were already settled in by the first week in June.

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The Reservoir is an attractive location for molting geese due to its safety appeals. There are few (if any) natural predators, no dogs, no fishing and no goose harassment. Moreover, protective fencing surrounding the Reservoir ensures the geese are not chased or frightened by overly eager children or annoyed adults.

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The drawback to the Reservoir is that it doesn't contain grassy lawns for geese to feed upon as grass is their primary food source. But there are plants and foliage throughout the surrounding rocks and the geese make do with those. Apparently safety is more important to geese than favorite food sources. They are highly adaptable and vigilant creatures who make safety their #1 priority.

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The arrival of approximately 25 geese for the molt was, needless to say, not welcomed news to the two established goose families already there.  

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Both, John and Mary and Hansel and Greta were clearly annoyed with the new arrivals on to their "turf." The fact, both pairs are raising three goslings each, only added to the irritation.

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The two families have somewhat merged over the past couple of weeks with the daddy ganders taking turns chasing and "correcting" unruly and interloping upstarts.  

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But John and Hansel have their work cut out for them as both families are clearly outnumbered by the intruders.

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And so there eventually comes a point of begrudging acceptance.

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"We're all in this together," so to speak.

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With the pressure of guarding their mates and raising babies, neither John nor Hansel has time or energy to chase visiting geese 24/7. In another four or five weeks, this will all be over and the temporary intruders will be on their way. I sense both families already know this. It is perhaps comparable to human families having to put up with visiting relatives over holidays or summer vacations -- grin and bear it.

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Regarding the six goslings (three for John and Mary and three of Hansel and Greta), all are growing and developing quickly and normally. John and Mary's offspring are 9 days older and therefore, a little bigger and darker than their counterparts -- though when all together, it is sometimes hard to differentiate among them.

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Goslings grow very quickly and are full size within two months. By ten or eleven weeks, they are flying and usually leave the hatching and rearing locations with their parents. They are usually not seen until the following spring when the family returns to nesting location again. It is at that time that the parents (when wanting to nest again), "kick the kids from the nest" and send them on their way. Usually the necessary parting of the ways is not pretty to witness, but it is nature's way. All children have to learn to be adult and on their own.  

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Since all of the goslings hatched in May, many people and children have delighted in observing and watching them grow. There is rarely an evening that I don't run into other nature lovers enjoying and photographing the geese and their rapidly changing babies. It has all made for many warm and engaging conversations.

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Yes, it has been a wonderful spring so far, brimming with new life and hope!

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And even if there is the natural annoyance of falling feathers, temporary grounding and nuisance interlopers, it will all be over soon enough and both families will be on their way.

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But, oh the joy of this short-lived, but brilliant season!

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Enjoy the geese -- and their precious babies while you can.  -- PCA

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