Picture and story contributed by Connie Wedemeier
The last couple of years there has been a pair of geese that I watch near the Big Wapsie on highway 3 during my drives to work. They are back again this spring. I see them on the east side of the bridge in the back water or water filled ditches. This year I noticed this one nesting the last few days.
Took photos yesterday. Unfortunately, the goose had its head down. The nest is in the ditch area on the just before you approach the south bound road.
I don't really know much about the geese. I assume that the goose is nesting. There are 2 big bounds of sticks/brush in the area. I noticed them last year and was curious what the mounds were but I never saw the geese on them last year.
Found the following on the internet... so the goose on the nest could be the female laying the eggs or the male guarding it.
Nesting: Canada Geese build their nest with grass and plant material and line it with feather down. The geese typically nest on the ground on islands and shorelines. However, they're very adaptable birds and in urban settings nest where ever it seems safe to them -- even on the edge of the runway at the airport or on the edge of the water traps on the golf course!
The female lays her eggs as soon as there is open water for mating and snow-free nest sites.p> The female typically lays a clutch of 5 to 7 white eggs (though the number can range anywhere from 2 to 12) while the male guards the nesting area. Laying the eggs is not a simple task. Each egg takes a little over a day to lay.
I can tell you from personal experience that if you accidentally wander into a nesting male's territory while looking for a good spot to lie your picnic blanket down, he'll come after you hissing with wings spread -- they look a lot bigger and move a fair bit faster when they're upset about something *grin*.
The eggs typically take about a month to incubate. The process is faster the farther north the geese nest since the summers are shorter.
The baby geese peck at their shells with the 'egg tooth' found at the end of their bill. It takes 1 to 2 days for them to free themselves from the egg.
The newly hatched babies (called 'goslings') are able to swim immediately. The male and female goose both accompany the babies during their swims.
Goslings can dive and swim for 30-40 feet underwater and they eat almost continuously to attain growth for the first migration flight.