Sunday, May 4, 2008

   day 20
It's finally day twenty! Goslings are coming soon. I should take pictures. I'll definately get some after the goslings hatch.

Today:
I brought my brother with me to the nest again today. He's fairly disobediant but he was disobeying me and doing the things I taught him at the same time so it was okay. I fed Ember a little bt of bread. It was an end piece so I had to be even more careful about the size of the pieces. She stood up as I was ready to walk off so I didn't get a great look at the eggs. My brother said he counted three. I already confirmed five previously. Fennel was at Pond A this time. He was by the side of the road waiting for us. He was very excited to have company, especially company that feeds him. We went back to the nest after a short visit with Fennel. I fed Ember some dandilions and gave her more sticks for the nest. Sprucing up the nest is still her most favorite thing to do. Fennel crossed the street after a minute so I sent my brother to the empty lot next to the nest to keep him company. Ember still won't let him anywhere near her and he's been getting very over excited lately. I think he knows the babies are coming. Fennel came right over to my brother. I saw him showing Fennel he had no food like I taught him. It's a very useful thing to do. The last thing you want in an over excited gander smacking into your face because he thinks you have food. It was a simple trick I came up with when Fennel was a gosling. His brother, Basil, was also very excitable and large for his age. So I had to show him I had no food to keep him from nipping at my feet. With my brother hanging out with Fennel, it gave me time to sit with Ember. She stood up again and I counted six eggs. And that was with down everywhere so who knows, there could be more. For hers and Fennel's sake I hope not. They are first time parents. I've never seen more than six but I guess it's a slim possiblity. I may've also heard a peep. I'm pretty sure it was a near by bird but I was ready to get up and run out of there in case they were hatching. I'm guessing it may happen next Monday.

Notes:
I want so badly to go to the church next to the residental pond and find Basil. I'm ninty percent sure I saw goslings there and it would be great if he was the gander. I'm sure he had a mate before his leg injury but when I never saw her I though he just couldn't keep up with her. It would be wonderful if the reason I didn't see her was because she was nesting. If he does have a mate then most likely it's one of Ember's three sisters. The Fire group and the Spice group were bitter territory rivals last spring. This spring we are expecting a batch of goslings from Ember of the Fire group by Fennel of the Spice group. It's like a much happier goose version of Romeo and Juliet.

SGAH
FYWR
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