This may be a little hard to see (click on the photo for a larger image), but there is the first goose we've seen on the pond this year. It landed as we were eating lunch today. Another sure sign that spring is at hand, despite the wintry scene. The goose keeps swimming around this afternoon, honking and honking, as if it's calling to the rest of the flock ... or at least to its significant other. Yesterday evening we heard the first sounds of geese and ducks honking and quacking as they flew nearby, though we never did see them. And today, at least one lonely goose is using our pond as nature's truck stop on his or her journey to somewhere else.
Shelter Challenge Contest -- Please Vote for the Farm!
The latest Shelter Challenge started Monday, January 7 and ends on April 28. Grand prize in this round is $10,000, $3,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place, plus $1,000 for weekly winners and $1,000 for state winners. There are also other categories ... please see the Shelter Challenge website for details.
*** You will find us listed as Rolling Dog Farm. The state is NH for New Hampshire. ***
Please remember, you can vote every day ... consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
We just won $1,000 as a weekly winner in the current contest, and thousands more in the previous contests. The Shelter Challenge really does bring in a lot of money for the animals here!
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Thank you for your votes!
I don't have a pond (there is a small lake across the street) but about 9 years ago, a duck couple landed in my yard. I have a lot of bird feeders in the back and also feed a lot of other creatures including some stray cats. I asked the lady at the feed store where I get my seed what the ducks liked to eat. I started putting out cracked corn and a bowl of water for them. Over time, they've brought a lot of friends (I've counted as many as 30 at one time!) so now there are 2 large mounds of corn and several bowls of water which get refilled twice a day once they start comin gin groups. They used to show up at the end of April. Last year they were here at the beginning of April and this year I've had 2 couples since the first week in March!! That's very unusual as they generally don't come until it's no longer cold. They stay until the beginning of October when they take off for their next destination. They generally come before it's too light in the morning and again at dusk. I often wonder if these are relatives of the first ducks who stopped by. I don't know how long ducks live but I can't imagine any of the ones today are the same who were here the first year. Sometimes some wait on the roof until the other are finished eating then fly down. Ducks on the roof are a funny but endearing site! I understand if this is too long to post but I wanted to share it since I can relate to your goose.
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | March 29, 2013 at 11:29 PM
What a lovely pond! That goose is probably thinking he made a wrong turn somewhere, but is glad he found such a nice place to stay the night.
Posted by: Tonya Allen | March 29, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the moment. Have a wonderful day all!
Posted by: Margaret | March 29, 2013 at 10:54 AM
That is an award winning photo. A picture says a thousand words. So glad you and Alayne are surrounded by utter beauty since you are at the FARM 24/7.
Give Mitch and Trooper a kiss from us.
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | March 29, 2013 at 12:03 AM
1st goose of the year!! In upstate NY we used to watch for the 1st robin to come hopping across the back yard. Goose, Robin...whichever, spring is on it's way. (even if it was only 42 here this morning in south Florida!!)
Posted by: Anne in FL | March 28, 2013 at 10:38 PM
Oh I wish we had water in our ponds but they dried up last year here in Nebraska. Will miss the mnigrating ducks and some geese that would come by. Always had a couple pairs of mallards that would nest. Enjoy.
Posted by: Karen | March 28, 2013 at 07:59 PM