Paradise?: Poem 27 of 30

National Poetry Month:  27 of 30

When I saw these little goslings peeking out from some shrubbery I knew what my post for the day would be.




Paradise?
Parents 
often have the best 
of intentions.
But what were these young geese thinking
when they made this busy parking lot
a home?
Was it the puddles that attracted them?
The distance from predators
that made them feel 
safe?
Or were they tired of life on the lake,
setting out to make a paradise 
in city pavement?

© Cathy L. Mere



Facts About Canadian Geese

  • before 1950 Canadian geese just passed through Ohio or visited in winter
  • introduced in Ohio in 1950 (silly naturalists)
  • typically live near large lakes or marshy areas
  • "clutches" are laid before April 15
  • 2-7 eggs (less than ducks which often lay 12)
  • both parents care for young
  • new borns are self-feeding
  • babies can fly after 8-9 weeks
  • families stay together into autumn
  • eat plant matter, insects, aquatic invertebrates
  • live longer than ducks (up to 25 years)
  • long necks
  • long term pair bonds
  • natural predators:  owls, raccoons, fox, snapping turtles

Noticed
  • loud
  • aggressive
  • honking noise
  • white around eyes
  • babies fluffy yellow with gray patches
  • babies couldn't really walk (walk, walk, fall)
  • living in shrubs in Kroger parking lot
  • nest no longer could hide yellow babies 
  • when you search for them on Google it is several pages of links before you get past all of the "Canadian geese as a nuisance" pages

References



Comments

  1. I love this, especially how you incorporated the research element. Multigenre research writing at it's finest! Crazy geese, settling in at Krogers! But soooo cute!

    ReplyDelete

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