GOSLINGS FIRST OUTING

 

The goslings were on their first river outing, floating along the whitewater of the Deschutes River at Riley Ranch Nature Reserve. The five goslings were resting at the nest while the parents coaxed them to the river's edge.

The parents identified the optimal location to enter the water with minimal obstacles. While it was a leisurely walk for the parents, it was anticipated to be challenging for the babies.

There were numerous large rocks that the infants needed to climb over in order to reach the river.

They would all remain in close proximity during the trek.

They all arrived at the river's edge for the final rock climb, and then the Goose leaped into the water.

For some reason, the goslings chose not to follow their parent and take the easier path into the water. Instead, they climbed over a large rock, resulting in a one-foot drop into the water.

The first, courageous individual leaped in without any difficulty. The others were somewhat hesitant to proceed.

The second one took off at a run after observing how effortlessly the first one entered the water.

It was a frighteningly long descent, resulting in an upside-down splash.

The gosling promptly emerged and proceeded downstream. The others expressed concern after witnessing the poor landing.

The third gosling intended to attempt a new descent with a shorter drop.

The attempt resulted in an unfortunate fall down the rock, ending in an awkward splash.

The fourth one after seeing the bad entry thought the best route would be to just jump.

That choice to just jump was proving to be a very good entry into the water. The poor little one that jumped last was not really sure where to go at that point.

The fourth one popped right up and went over and gathered up the confused one.

The fifth and last Gosling had learned from the other the best way to enter the water.

The result was a perfect landing.

The next part was the whitewater run with the parents waiting to catch them.

The white water did not prove to be much of a challenge for them.

There were some mallards downstream that the parent wanted to move out of the way. The parents took a defensive posture and kept moving downstream. The Gosling started moving closer and looking for protection.

They all made it and moved close to their parents and headed further downstream.  

Here are interesting facts about goslings:

• Goslings are born with their eyes open, and they can swim and walk within hours of hatching.
• Goslings are very dependent on their parents for food and protection.
• Goslings stay with their parents for about ten weeks, and they learn everything they need to know about being a goose from them.
• Goslings are very social animals, and they enjoy playing with each other.
• Goslings are very curious, and they love to explore their surroundings.
• Goslings are very vocal animals, and they have a variety of different calls that they use to communicate with each other.
• They can take flight within two to three months.

Goslings are a joy to watch, and they are a reminder of the beauty of nature. If you see a group of Goslings, I encourage you to take a moment of appreciation for them.

Here are tips for watching Goslings:

• Be respectful of the Goslings’ space. Do not get too close to them, and do not touch them.
• Be quiet. Goslings are extremely sensitive to noise and are easily startled.
• If you have a dog, make sure it is on a leash. Dogs can be a danger to goslings.
• Do not feed the Gosling, the parents will supply food and teach them.

© Chris LeBoutillier