The Long-Term Relationship
In late May, I glanced out my dining room window and noticed a pair of
geese snuggled in the grass in my front lawn. The grass was tall due to
the spring rains that didn’t stop long enough for me to mow. The geese
found it perfect for a relaxing afternoon. They looked peaceful sitting
there close together, enjoying the break in the rain.
In the nine years I’ve lived here, this was the first time I’ve had geese on my property. The large wetland in back of my house is home to a blended family of three adult geese and more than a dozen goslings, but the pair in my yard wasn’t part of that family.
A day or two later, I was sitting on my couch reading. Something caught my eye outside, so I glanced up and was startled to see a goose head peering into my living room. Then a second head appeared! These birds are large! I’d heard that geese will chase and attack people, so I found it a bit unsettling to see two of them peering into my house.
The geese made my front yard their home for two-and-a-half weeks. I never saw or heard them arrive. One moment the yard was empty and the next, the pair of geese would be there, walking, pecking at the ground, sitting, or simply standing and staring at the house.
As each day passed I became more unsettled. How long were they going to stay? Why were they here? Were they aunt and uncle to the blended family in the wetland area out back? Was my yard the cheap motel they could stay at while visiting? I saw only one pair of geese in my yard this entire time; it was nice they didn’t invite their friends and family over.
I wasn’t about to try to scare them off my property, since I still felt a bit fearful of them. They weren’t harming anything, just silently appearing each morning and hanging around for most of the day. My uneasiness turned into acceptance the first time I saw the geese leave my lawn.
The male, the bigger of the two, tossed his head up and down and gave a loud “whohnk,” telling the female he was ready to head off for the day. He positioned himself at a point in the yard. She looked at him, paused as if to make him wait longer, then walked to his side. They judged the distance for their runway by backing up. He “whohnked” again and she replied with her own “whohnk.” Then he would talk, then she, the repetitions coming faster between them for half a dozen repetitions.
Finally, she would start to run and he started a step after. They ran a short distance, no more than 30 feet, then lifted themselves into the air, she first and he a moment after to guard the rear, all the while still “whohnking” to each other. It was a sight to behold.
Usually they headed off in a southwesterly direction. Once or twice they went southeast. Seeing them take off was mesmerizing. I became like Pavlov’s dog. When I heard the first “whohnk,” I’d race to a front window. Watching them launch never got boring. I had an especially awe- inspiring moment the day I was on the second floor of my home when they took off and barely cleared my three-story house as they flew over. Their feet always hung down until they were over the house and well on their way. I could watch them from the back windows and see them fly for a distance, tuck their feet into their bellies, and “whohnk” until they reached their flying altitude.
Geese mate for life. I envied this pair their camaraderie. One would always be standing guard while the other grazed on clover from the lawn, slept, or walked around. The male seemed to be doing most of the guarding, while the female did whatever she wanted. I wondered when he ate and slept. The birds were always aware of the other. It had to be through body language. I could tell when I was noticed – the stance of the guard goose changed into one of stiffness and staring at me.
They were fun to watch, this couple. I admired the possessiveness of their union, their long-term commitment to each other. Since geese tend to return to places they know, I hope to see them again next spring.
By Lisa J. Jackson, Tree Steward11/29/06
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