Spring Has Sprung! And the Geese Are Nesting...

My husband, an adorable city boy, came bursting onto the boat with the news that a mallard duck had built a nest in a planter just down the dock from us.  He first became aware of the nursery when the male hissed at him for wandering too close.

Having contracted a cold from venturing outside of 128 - yes, I visited my mother in Wisconsin - I did not leave the boat until this morning.  Curious, I checked out the planter/nesting side and was confronted by a very angry Canada Goose.

Did I mention my husband is a city boy?  Bostonian, to be exact.  At least he had the right class...  Aves to be exact.

Anyway, the mother goose is nestled in a planter with a discarded boat fender taking up the majority of the open dirt.  Maybe the fender makes her feel protected and comfortable, especially with her mate standing guard.  Concerned that this is the time of year that the landscaping goes in, I approached the manager at the marina.

Me: Can you talk to the landscapers to make sure they don't bother the nest?
Manager: Weeeeelllll...  Don't know if that's possible.
Me:  How long is the gestation period?
Manager: 28 days.  A long time, but it is only one planter...  Should be able to leave it alone.
Me: If it's a real problem, I'll personally plant the flowers once the geese are gone.
Manager: I'll talk to them, but I can't promise anything.

In a strange, silly way, my heart is broken at the thought of the babies potentially being destroyed.  So I looked up facts on Canada Geese.

Interesting.

Wild Goose Chasers - Protection Under Federal Law

In a nutshell, Canada Geese are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918.

Huh.

Did not know this, but it makes me feel better to know that the mother and her babies are, technically, protected.

Now just need to make sure that the landscapers and the marina knows this.  It doesn't make me feel better to know the law is on the side of the vulnerable if the vulnerable is still injured.

Fingers crossed.

Update - the Marina is contacting the Massachusetts Wildlife Department to see about relocating the goose family.  Interesting that once they contact them, the Marina is liable if anything happens to the geese.

My experience has been that government offices/officials care more about the things they're assigned to protect than the comfort of people involved.

Should be interesting...