Rose Cottage Ltd

Busy, busy times but I did manage to get a updated photo of some of the goslings yesterday:

Another inch+ of rain during the week really has the lake looking better for water level than it has in the last 4 or 5 years.

Here’s a shot showing the dock first week of June 2012:

And here it is – yesterday:

Hard to tell from the pictures but this is nearly a foot higher water level than last year.

Thought I heard the first Hummingbird yesterday but didn’t see it. Time to get those feeders out! And a good time to enter the Duncraft sweepstakes…Win $250 Duncraft Shopping Spree – Enter here at duncraft.com.

I have to keep my distance a bit from the goslings. They are getting used to seeing me and know that I will throw food for them so they come running – which does NOT make the parents very happy.

I took this first picture from around the corner of the house before they saw me…

Then I was spied…

…and off and running they came. This is making for some tough strategic planning around the house and yard when it is time for Cato to head outside. And a belated happy first birthday to him this past weekend. He’s being very good with the goslings – Lord, thank you for the assistance!

The good news for the lake, 1.25″ of rain last Sunday – but what a dreary week that has followed. One flash of sun per day is about all I’m getting which is not great for taking pictures but here is a little update on the goose nest/hatching…

Out of 5 nests on the lake this year, 3 nests are now vacant and the new “residents” can be seen around the property – two groups of 6 goslings and one group of 5. Hard to tell how many will survive to adulthood. One out of 6 was the average for last season.

And so far, all 6 still present and accounted for!

The family had just returned from a “little” walk around the 15 acre pasture next door. I wonder how the little ones keep up on those tiny little legs!

There was a nasty looking raccoon here last weekend. I hope it is long gone or it could spell trouble for the geese…

For anyone who has followed the progress of the goslings born on the lake in 2012, here’s a quick update.

There was a bit of problem when the stray dog showed up Memorial Day weekend. The adult geese decided the newcomer did not look very well trained in goose etiquette and they left the lake for almost two weeks.

Unfortunately, when the two families returned, both males and one gosling from each family were missing. I’ve never had this happen since I’ve been at the lake – for males to just go missing.

Since the two groups were traveling together, I fear that a raccoon or fox, or maybe even a bobcat attacked the group. The males probably tried to defend and died, allowing the females and the 7 remaining goslings to escape. Nothing short of death would make the male geese leave their family.

This is very sad for the remaining “Moms” since geese mate for life and my little favorite Mother Goose, Daisy, will never nest at Rose Cottage again. But some of HER children may…

You can see earlier pictures of these two groups in my prior post. Down to 3 goslings in the younger group and 4 in the first-born group.

Here are the pre-teenagers now at 6 1/2 weeks:

And here is one from the older group of goslings, now at about 8 1/2 weeks:

You can see a huge difference in just the two-week gap in age. The older goslings look much more “goose-like” until you get really close and notice the quills still awaiting full feathers!

There are still many predators lurking around the far end of the lake, in the lake (snapping turtles,) and in the 180 acre wooded property behind mine. Hopefully, these two groups will continue to hang together and keep all the goslings safe to maturity.

Not a great photo – pouring rain outside and a bit of window glare, but I think the caption of this image should be…

“Go Back In – It’s Still Raining!”

After a stormy night, all 6 goslings still present and accounted for this morning.

I almost hate to take pictures of these cute little goslings because I know many will not survive their first year. This Mother goose – who my Mom has named “Daisy,” had 4 goslings last year – only one survived to the 8-week stage. He’s still here this year on the lake.

Daisy and her spouse will do a lot of walking with their babies over the next few days, and then the family will “disappear” for several weeks. Hopefully when I see them again – most of the 6 will still be alive and well.

These geese, and the other wild animals protected and supported at Rose Cottage, are why I strongly oppose hydrofracking. Find out more about what it will potentially impact on this and surrounding rural properties…

Swimming in the lake! Down to 3 from the original 4 geese that hatched May 19th. Fingers crossed for the rest. Temperatures at 100 degrees here today at noon. An incredibly hot Summer seems to be in store this year…

And some tired campers around the lake. Hot, hot weather this weekend – the lake looks like a “cool” way to spend a little time…

And there is always some extra time for that all-important weekend nap!

After 5 weeks on the nest and a successful “hatching” on May 19th, the new goose family has moved on to the (next door) greener pasture!

After spending some time yesterday studying their surroundings, the new goose arrivals were off with their Mom – and Dad who remains on the other side of the fence – to a lagoon at the back of the property next door. Considering the fact that there are around 22 adult geese on my lake, taking the children to the quiet lagoon is probably a very good idea.

They don’t stay around very long once hatched, and will look entirely different when I see them next, most likely in about 6 weeks, but they sure are cute!

More updates and images when they return – hopefully the new 4 will survive the next two months or so…