Monday, May 2, 2011

Remember The Deer Guarding The Goose...?


Not long ago I did a story about this male deer guarding a nesting goose!

Today I am happy to furnish this happy ending to the story! In this day and time, we don't see too many happy endings. Certainly not many reported in the media! Maybe that's why we cling to happy endings so much when we find them.

A goose tends to its goslings in a cemetery in Buffalo, N.Y. The nesting goose attracted much attention after a deer inside the cemetery seemed to take on the role of the nest's protector after the male goose disappeared.
By Neale Gulley

Deer who stood guard over nest admires chicks with mother goose

BUFFALO — A deer that stood guard over the eggs of an expectant goose for weeks at a Buffalo cemetery is now admiring the hatched goslings.

One of the most dramatic moments in this animal kingdom saga came the day before the eggs hatched on Wednesday, when the storied stag chased off crows threatening the goose nesting on a large urn at Forest Lawn cemetery.

"The deer was acting pretty much like the gander," said Erie County SPCA Wildlife Administrator Joel Thomas.

"Crows are big predators of baby birds. (The babies) are pretty defenseless and the deer was obviously chasing the crows away."

For three weeks, a Webcam has broadcast images of the buck watching over the soon-to-be mother goose that lost her gander. For weeks, the male white-tailed deer had consistently worked to discourage any visitors or passing vehicles from coming near the nesting Canada goose, positioning his body broadside and staring until the threat passed.

'Special socialization'
While experts have called the buck's behavior highly unusual, examples of similar co-existence in nature do sometimes crop up, Thomas said.

"This is really kind of a special socialization between these two animals and we're all still sort of scratching our heads," he said.

Just hours after the first little beak cracked through its eggshell, the mother goose hustled her babies out of the urn on their first walk around the grounds on Wednesday afternoon. As the family paraded by, the deer watched from a nearby hillside, apparently recognizing the fruits of his labor.

With the goslings comes a change in the adult animals' relationship, Thomas said.

"The last time I saw him he was pretty much beginning to wander more," Thomas said. "I see this bond diminishing now that the chicks are with Mom."

A cemetery spokesmen said the deer has lived for several years at the 269-acre cemetery, which was founded in 1849 and is home to some 160,000 plots, including those of captains of industry and President Millard Filmore.


I just love it when I find a follow-up to a warm and fuzzy story! It's a shame there isn't more of this kind of story in the daily news!

How about some fresh coffee on the patio? Supposed to rain, but I'll believe it when I get wet!

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the update. Love a good animal story. We have babies here, too and they're cute. Unfortunately they grow up and can become a nuisance. Oh well.

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  2. That seems to be a long fall for that little one. Looks like 6 or 7 times its height. That would be 36 to 42 feet for a 6 foot man.

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  3. awesome story! as a biologist, I love it when animals do not behave as they are 'suppose to'.

    as for rain, we've got MORE than enough here in NE AR! I wish I could send some your way!

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  4. Wonderful story makes the heart happy and a smile to my face.
    I hope you get that rain I know how bad its needed.
    Its 28 outside right now so coffee on the patio at your place would be a nice warm up.

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  5. Don't know how you always seem to find one of these "special" stories, but you do. Keep it up.

    I'd send some of my rain your way, BUT it's all coming up this way FROM your way! Can't reverse the flow. :-) It'll come back to you eventually via the natural river flow I guess.

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  6. Hey Momlady...
    That's the sad part about nature...she always takes a cute little one and let's it grow up into something like the folks we see at the mall!

    Strange, it is!

    Hey, thanks for coming by today, my friend!


    Hey Dizzy...
    It does indeed look like a long fall to me, but I reckon momma goose takes all that into consideration when choosing the nest site!

    Thanks, buddy, for the visit today!


    Hey Kellie...
    Let's just hope you don't get flooded out like so many other folks are !

    Nature sure does surprise us sometimes! The Lord works in mysterious ways, for sure!

    I really appreciate the visit today!

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  7. Hey JoJo...
    If I can put a smile on your pretty face, then I feel very happy!

    How in the world did you get to 28 degrees? I'm topping 90's and high 80's almost daily already!

    Thanks for the good thoughts about the rain! I sure wish we had it!

    Thanks, sweetie, for coming over today!


    Hey Ben...
    I'm hoping we get a little rain here pretty soon! Guess it will eventually work it's way around!

    Thanks for dropping by today, buddy!

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  8. Reading about the deer watching out for the goose eggs was heartwarming. It shows that animals, though different, can get along. It's something humans sometimes rforget - to look out for each other. Thanks for the update. Hope you get the needed rain and could you send a little our way too?

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