Where are the geese?

Daily News, Wahpeton, N.D.: It was a long and bitterly cold winter. That comes as no shock to North Dakota and Minnesota residents. It has also been a long and difficult spring with extended cold and day after day of rain.

One of the unfortunate side effects of the winter’s weather has been the smaller goose population at our own Chahinkapa Zoo. For the many faithful visitors who flock to the park each day to feed the baby waterfowl, one variety has been noticeably absent and leaves people to question, “Where are the baby geese?”

Chahinkapa Zoo Director Kathy Diekman said the late spring, after such a severe winter, caused many of the breeding pairs of geese to not even nest.

The bird babies are such popular attractants to the park. The baby ducks have been hatched for weeks and continue to grow and develop, but there is something so stately about the mother and father Canada goose working together and keeping a watchful eye on their brood. No one approaches their babies without receiving a warning hiss directed at them as the mother and father quickly stave off any unwanted attention.

Canada geese seem to have adapted well to human visitors. Unless people wander too close, they just ignore us.