After shooting kids several weeks ago I found myself on a frontage road heading back toward the highway. ( i might should have had a quicker getaway ;) I used the parking lot of a FleetPride store to turn around in during my convoluted escape. As I rolled into the gravel lot I was nearly accosted by a large male Canada Goose. I mean it got tall, raised feathers and hissed with extreme prejudice. That startled me even though I was in my Jeep three feet off the ground. Then I noticed this wicked goose was lounging in a pothole turned mud puddle. What? I had to investigate this one. So I backed into a slot and watched the goose. He never took his eye off of me. I turned off my engine to "blend in" and not disturb him. He took offense and hissed louder and flapped wings at me. Now understand that I was about 50-60 feet away from him. We've all been at the park 6 feet from geese and they barely pay attention to you. He wanted me gone and my engine turning off meant I wasn't... he knew that. I looked around and saw mother goose nested in the tall grasses. Ahh Haaaaa. ding- light bulb bingo. They were another 50-60 feet apart from each other. I must have been 80-90 feet from her. He surely was on guard and performing his sentry duties flawlessly. Brave dad of fourteen pounds taking on every on comer in the lot, fantasies of prize fighters swirling in his head. Another car pulled in and past him at this point. He stood tall, spread his wings and hissed vigorously for the 7 seconds it took for the car to pass and park down the way.
It was a beautiful sight and a testament to family values and the responsibilities of the Dad. Mom was napping and he snuck over to a puddle to get his goose swim on. A small remembrance of larger ponds gone by for the time being... but he never left his post.
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