Another goose 'gone'(don't read if weak stomached)

[Dazed_Lily]

Today, as I came home from the grocery store, and turned my head to do a quick account of the pond wildlife, I saw a pile of still white feathers. I turned the car and, from the distance, pretty much figured it was one of the white domestic geese. I went home, got gloves and a trash bag and went back. It was behind a house that backs to the pond and halfway between the house and pond--it is a walk area although not paved. I assume an animal attacked it. The neck and head was gone and I looked but did not see anything nearby. Yes, I was crying as I tried to place it into the trash bag. Its wings were slightly flared out. I rototilled a spot under a tree next to the pond behind my house. I buried him/her, placed a few pieces of corn in with it and on top of the grave. The whole time its flock was across the pond. I went in and got more corn as I saw them starting to get into the pond to swim back down it. They turned and came over. They are now all sleeping in the sun within feet of the grave. Interestingly, they are all turned in the same direction that I buried the goose. My husband asked if they know it is there. I said, No, but the goose that is buried there knows that they are there.

The babies(11) were born close to Easter last year. One died as a gosling(10). A grown baby disappeared/died(was sick) a few months back(9) and now this one(8). There were 3 adults to start and now 8 grown goslings remain. 11 total.

[Dazed_Lily]

Tonight I realized that it wasn't a grown gosling. There was one adult with a limp. But tonight when I fed them, none of them were limping. So the one that was killed must have been 'Limper'-one of the 3 adults(it wasn't the Mama or Papa but was a third pair of eyes to watch the goslings). They used to swim in a triangle with the baby goslings inside the triangle. sigh

[MichiganDave]

Cathy, it must have been sad to see that, and you are very nice hearted. You did a very nice thing to the killed goosling.

Things like that happens in nature. The other animal(s) need to survive too, so I guess it is part of the whole ecology. I felt bad one time also when I saw something similar to what you saw, then someone mentioned the nature part to me, and somehow that comforted me a little.

[sue salley]

Cathy, I am so sorry to hear this bad news. You have been watching the limper for some time. I wonder if you have hawks. They will sometimes do this to ducks and geese just taking the head and leaving the rest for other scavengers. I hate hawks as I think they might have been the culprits in the disappearance of my beloved cats that disappeared last year.