The differences between individual Canada geese are often hard to distinguish, however, they mate for life and share parental duties so I often used the number of goslings in tow to know whether the geese were repeat visitors or new to the area. I saw multiple families during my time in Jacksonville, Florida at an extended-stay hotel with a stormwater runoff pond behind it. These pages describe some of the geese families who nested or visited the area. The last page contains Canada goose hybrids and close views of goose body parts.

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Two families were regulars at the pond during the summer of 2014. One had two goslings while the other had five goslings. The larger family had a male with a distinctive markings which I explain on the next page.

The two families late in late June (before the goslings have taken their first flight).
[Both families are grouped together on the water. The family of four is in the foreground while the family of seven is in the background.]

Both sets of parents were very protective of their young. The male of the larger brood would go after the goslings of the smaller brood so his young ones would get food. This is about as close as the two families would get. The near group is eating rice cakes I gave them.
[Both families are on the other side of a chain-link fence. The family of seven is against the near part of the fence eating rice cakes while the other family is in the background.]

This is smaller brood on the day I termed 'Goose turf wars'.
[One parent goose is standing in the water while one of her goslings swims and the other stands at the water's edge.]

This is larger brood on the day I termed 'Goose turf wars'. Notice how close they are to each other.
[One parent goose and all five goslings are in a very small circle in the water.]

Family of seven in water in lower right; family of four in the water on left; and four of the approximately nine invaders at the top of the hillside.
[The two families which normally visited the pond stayed together in the water while the newcomers circled the top.]

There was a whole lot of honking going on that day as the nine 'invaders' came to eat along with the eleven normal visitors.
[At least 13 geese (adults and goslings) within a short distance all either eating or looking for food at the top of the hillside.]

An apparently well-fed gosling from the invader group. Its parents were makind sure it would survive.
[Side view of a gosling which appears to have a large chest and rump. I'm sure it would float quite well!]

Continue to page 2 to meet "White-Eyebrows".

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All photos © S. M. Garver