I've certainly ssen that and worse (so to speak). I've heard Cananda Geese 
have a creche approach to raising young. They'll pick of goslings from other 
parents or lose their own. Sometimes I see a goose with only one gosling and 
I think that must have been a major tragedy.  I don't know if the extra 
goslings are returned. I don't think a goose can count past three. That is 
one, two, three, and many.

Phil Brody


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janet Millenson" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 4:40 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Goslings galore


> At Swains Lock (approx. mile 17 on the C&O Canal towpath) this afternoon I
> encountered two adult Canada Geese watching over *20* goslings. No other
> adult geese were nearby. Canada Geese don't have broods that big, do they? 
> I
> assumed it was the parent birds watching over the young'uns while they
> grazed -- but might the adults have been two females instead, each with 
> her
> own group of goslings?
>
> Please enlighten me, you goose gurus out there. Thanks.
>
> Janet Millenson
> Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> "Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot
>