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IT’S QUINTUPLETS!
We pulled into Chisholm Trail Ridge Campground on Lake Waurika
(Oklahoma) about noon yesterday (Friday, May 8). As we were setting up on
our site, we noticed a pair of Canadian geese on a little promontory of
land in back of where our rig was parked.
We watched more carefully and saw several small light brown feathered
chicks milling around their parents’ feet. Then, suddenly, we saw a
curious sight. There, among the other chicks, another appeared. However,
this one was a small round ball of light yellow baby fuzz! As their
parents gently checked the chicks out with their bills, we realized that
fuzzy little fellow had just been hatched! He/she was the last of a set of
quintuplets born to that proud pair of Canada geese parents.
By supper-time, all five of the chicks were lively and looking good in
their matched light brown feathered outfits. Their parents then took them
all out for a swim. Dad protectively swam in front of the quints and Mom
brought up the rear and kept a watchful eye on their brood. When Dad
ventured a little too far out into the lake for the newborns, Mom gently
called him back and guided her family back home.
As we walked that evening, we realized that we were camping just on the
edge of a Canadian goose nursery! Another couple down the shore a bit had
two small chicks. Still another couple in our area of the lake appeared to
be chickless – or perhaps their offspring had not yet hatched.
On our walks today, we have seen several other Canadian goose couples
over on the other side of the campground. Most of them are also proud
parents of twins, triplets, or quadruplets. We think we may even have seen
a set of sextuplets! This evening we saw another newly hatched fuzzy
yellow chick in one of those goose families. As the sun was setting and
the evening temperature was dropping, we saw several Canadian geese chicks
huddling under their mothers’ wings for warmth.
Canada geese mate for life and the father is very much involved in the
raising of the chicks. He gathers food for himself and his mate when she
is sitting on their nest. He helps bring food to the newborn chicks. He
and mother both keep protective eyes on their young to prevent predators
from making a tasty meal of the little goslings.
In our human world, tomorrow is Mother’s Day, the day we give thanks
for our mother’s care and love. In the world of Canadian geese, there
are usually multiple births and always innumerable hazards to the growing
chicks. Surely goose mothers give thanks every day for their handsome,
strong and helpful mates! Human mothers could learn an important lesson
from them!
9 May 2009 - mshr
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