From the fall through the winter and into spring, the golf course that sprawls just beyond our property line becomes a haven for Canada geese. I daresay the fairways of Cobblestone Creek Country Club see more takeoffs and landings in one day than Pearson Airport in Toronto.
My wife and I generally are amused by the geese that nibble on the grass. Occasionally, they get crosswise and one will charge another for a few moments until harmony is restored.
The geese spread out on the first three holes of the golf course’s back nine that we can see out our kitchen and dining room windows. We have a fascinating vantage point from which to watch their behavior.
Upon approach to the course, the geese typically arrive in waves of wedges. The leader of the first vee circles over the course, apparently checking for the best spot to land. Once that group touches down, others follow quickly. Within a few minutes 200-300 geese are munching away on the ground.
What we find particularly fascinating is that “sentinel geese” set up at the edges of the foraging swarms. Most of the time the sentinels squat on the ground, although sometimes they stand briefly, as does the goose in the center foreground of the photo topping this post. While most of the flock eats contentedly, the sentinel geese face away and watch for the approach of anything untoward.
Occasionally, anything untoward means a pickup truck from the golf course maintenance crew that rolls down the cart path to scare the geese off. As one, the geese squawk raucously, rise and fly away en masse — likely to another part of the course.
U.S. federal law has protected Canada geese for more than a century, and New Jersey also has its own protections for them. The species is thriving today, with year-round resident and migratory populations. While they don’t rank high on the colorful-feather scale, Canada geese are part of our natural ecosystem, and I’m glad and grateful that they enliven our days. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 