My heart leapt though my mind tried to keep my feelings in check. Could it be him??? My eyes darted around to find the orange beaked goose (Because the orange beak's partner and Mr. Goose look so much alike, and thosse two new ones are never far apart). Test #1 passed -- he was solo. Then I squinted way across to where I'd been Saturday and made out what appeared to be two geese. Thankfully they're easy to spot by size. Then, as if the gods were patting me on the shoulder, at that very moment I heard the pair trumpet from that distance, and I knew I had Mr. Goose in front of me!I only had grain left, but held it out and called, hoping he'd come...
Sure enough he did, gliding slowly, raising his beak and trembling the way he always does.
Then he lowered his grand head and gobbled from my palm. Once he was that close I checked for his distinguishing marks -- a rim of yellow on his "eyelids" and a line of white where the ridge of his black knob meets his forehead. The new black beaked goose doesn't have those.
Oh Mr. Goose, Mr Goose! Isn't he glorious?I try not to get too attached. Early on, as I'd see little ducklings disappear each day or happen upon a dying bird, I told myself that if I were going to be a part of this, I had to respect that nature takes it's course. But to have such direct interaction with an animal as compelling as this for the last 2 years IS in fact a relationship. And to suddenly find he and Mrs. Goose both gone without a trace, at a time of year that could not be explained by mating or migration, wasn't so easy to accept.
My heart just sang yesterday to see him at last.
Posts
