The Girl and her Goose

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She is a girl that loves her goose. A goose she adopted, that was orphaned and needed someone to raise it, and give it love.

When I first met Allie, she and I were in the Master Naturalist class that is held every year through Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. I remember her telling me that she had a new family member, and it was a goose.

Because of this, the two of us became friends rapidly. We had something in common: a love for these monotone-colored birds of gray - the Canada goose.

When I was young, my parents had a small flock of Canada geese that we raised as pets. They were a novelty, and I remember how much I enjoyed siting with them, watching their interactions, and listening to them communicate with each other.

I loved hearing them honk. And when the fall migrations occurred, I watched our birds call to their kind, hundreds of feet above the earth.

When Allie first introduced me to her gosling, the bird was in the awkward period of life. Like a teenager with pimples and messy hair, the gosling was in transition. She was half covered in a yellow/greenish down with patches of black down on her neck and white patches on her cheeks. Her honk was squeaky like the voice of teenage boy.

But, she was sweet and loved Allie like her own mother.

Everywhere Allie went, just a few feet behind her, was “Rita.” Every time Allie went in the house for something, Rita would become worried and her honk would reach a higher pitch as she tried desperately to follow her inside. If she could say, “ma, ma” she would. When Allie tended to her garden, pulling weeds and harvesting crops, Rita was right beside her, chasing butterflies, bees, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and whatever insect she could find.

I knew from past experiences, that Canada geese greet each other with their necks extended low to the ground. Their heads rise up and down and they honk the entire time, coming close to each other as this commotion rises. It reminds of the excitement two old friends have when they meet again after years apart. Loud talking, laughing, and a special closeness.

So, when I met Rita, I moved my head up and down and talked in a loud, deep tone. And Rita responded! Soon, she was nearly climbing into my lap as we talked about something that only a goose would know.

Geese love to pull on things. Maybe it’s curiosity or nervousness. Maybe, like a small child, a goose feels the need to put everything into its mouth. Or, could Rita just be taking out frustrations on us? Who knows?  But, Rita loves to pull on everything she can grab. If you’re wearing a shiny ring, watch out! If you have a strand of fabric hanging loose, Rita will find it. If you have long hair, Rita will pull it. Just watch your eyes, because if you are not careful, she’ll go for your eyelashes!

When she’s preoccupied, pulling on things, if you move slowly, you can pet her gently and feel the soft feathers and down. But only briefly! Soon, she’ll peck your hand in disapproval and let out a disgruntled squawk!

When looking at a Canada goose we see a gray and fully insulated body of feathers, a long and narrow black neck, and then just behind each eye, a white patch.

And, if you’ve ever looked closely at a feather, the details and intricacies of each shaft amazes the mind as to how it was formed. A marvel of structural integrity, designed specially for flight and insulation. Barbs and shafts connecting smaller barbules and hooks, all pigmented with color - a unique uniform of identity for each species of bird.

And how each feather, from primaries to secondaries work together in perfect unison, a design so impeccable, we envy their ability to leave the surface of the earth and travel in the clouds without buying a ticket, going through TSA or standing in line.

Rita is still learning to fly. Allie takes her out to the quiet roadway in her neighborhood and starts riding away on her bicycle. At first, Rita squawks and runs behind her. Falling behind as Allie speeds down the road, but then those giant gray wings start beating the air, arched inwards with each stroke, lifting the bird up with unbelievable power. Soon, Allie is trying to keep up with Rita and laughing as her once helpless gosling was now developing into a beautiful and graceful piece of art.

After a couple of brief flights, Rita is ready to head to her favorite spot…the shade of the front porch where cold water and cool concrete await her. But, every day she improves and every day she learns.

I’ve gone to see Rita three times, and each time it’s kind of a goose-therapy. Any time you get to spend with nature is wonderful, but these creatures of flight, these feathered travelers, will venture to places I can only imagine: beautiful lakes and ponds, creeks and rivers, prairies and farm fields.

I wish I knew what she was saying when she makes all those goose sounds. I wish I could tell her to fly safe and watch out for birds on the ground that look real, yet something isn’t quite right and they’re sitting too still.  Fly high and fly past them. Don’t land there!

I hope Rita finds a nice gander. He’ll be her mate for life…that’s the way Canada geese live. I’ve witnessed this firsthand when a mated pair my parents owned disappeared and weeks later we found them alone together, dehydrated and near death - the goose had gotten stuck in a piece of chicken wire fencing and the gander was not going to leave her side. He protected her from raccoons, possums and whatever other predators were around. Slowly dying with her. We saved them both, but it taught me to respect this bird. They carry a virtue humans can’t even commit to with a marriage contract.

And one day, in the not too distant future, Rita will leave. Honking with excitement as she rises higher and higher, lifting away and leaving us below, grounded, wishing we could do the same.

When Allie talks about her leaving she tears up. She will miss this crazy bird dearly, I know. But, Rita will remember Allie.

One day, when the air is crisp and the leaves of trees are bright and colorful, Allie will look up and see a “v” formation of geese flying high above in the clear and blue sky. Two geese will leave formation and honking loudly, will fly down and land in her yard. One of them will keep its distance and the other will run squawking with wings spread to Allie. Rita will have returned.