Several days ago I noticed that the female was no longer sitting on her nest all day...after reading that once the eggs are laid the female never leaves the nest I started to wonder. Today they were watching me garden again. They actually move closer to the edge of the hill when I come outside as though they enjoy watching my activities. At four thirty they both flew away. I quickly climbed the hill and went to where she had been nesting on the far side of the pond. There the nest laid in ruin, torn to pieces with one lone egg sitting several feet away.
I suppose a Raccoon had a full belly one night...or maybe the fox that I thought I saw... or a Possum...or snapping turtle...or one of those rat like creatures that like to leave holes all over the land...or Coyote's that I have heard on occasion...snakes... For all I know a dragon could be out there.
It seems as though the geese are waiting to nest again.
So, now I have to destroy anything that moves out there so that she can have her goslings...
OK, probably not... But it's a good thing that I'm not in charge of who lives and who dies.
It just dawned on me...there had been something that smelled dead near the garden shed for about four days...Saturday I finally found the source. A Raccoon was dead just under the shed...When I pulled him out there was a large open wound at the base of his tail. I thought maybe a dog had gotten him. I wonder if those geese could do that much damage to a Raccoon?
But, maybe the geese will have goslings after all.........poor Raccoon...
