Canadian Geese Winter Comfortably in Eugene

My dad’s apartment in a retirement residence overlooks the river. He also has a great view of a flock (gaggle?) of Canadian geese that has wintered over in Eugene. The residence is located near a wildlife preserve that is home to all sorts of water fowl and creatures. The geese gather on the lawns around the apartments feeding on the insects and whatever they find in the grass. Residents of the apartments particularly enjoy watching the lives of the geese unfold in their front yards.

Soon goslings will join their parents and waddle after them across the lawn. It’s easy to see the mated pairs even in the crowd. Canada Geese mate for life and the goslings stay with their parents for a year after they are born. This particular flock has had a domestic “nanny” goose who looks after the goslings while their parents feed. The grey goose, nicknamed Martha sticks out among darker, more dramatically marked Canadian geese. Besides Martha, one bird always stands lookout for predators while the others comfortably amble through their meals.

The nutria in a nearby pond coexist peacefully with the geese. Their lush fur drenched, they sit in pairs feeding on vegetation. Nutria were imported from the South in the 1920s to be raised for their fur. When the market for nutria fur didn’t develop, the rodents were set loose in an environment with few predators. They live in marshy areas and are mistaken for beaver until their rat-like tails are visible. They are a bit aggressive so it’s best to give them a wide berth if you see them. -Michelle