#canada geese up-close

[sga-owns-my-soul]

my biggest flex as a canadian is that not only am i not afraid of canadian geese, but i regularly approach them with zero issues

[bmpmp3]

i understand technically why people hate canada geese: they're messy and they can be aggressive and territorial and they like to very slowly cross busy streets and thats enough for a lot of people to not think about it too much and decide to take it personal that an animal is doing things that animals do BUT man. i just cant relate. it was a gloomy rainy day today, i was biking past a sports field and i slowed down to a walking pace because there were a lot of canada geese and i didnt wanna hurt or scare any and they were all relaxed and preening their fluffy feathers and eating some tasty grass. one noticed i was watching them preening and got upset at me and gave a little warning honk, causing a group further back to gently start honking too. i smiled and moved on and slowly biked off, feeling like it was the sunniest, brightest, happiest day on earth. havent you ever heard the wonderful goose wonderfully honk. havent you ever felt the thrill of a canada goose hissing at you.

[emeraldmew]

the geese at work are a bit territorial. they've taken to flying at people when they go out for breaks. Most of my coworkers scream and run when they fly at them but today one flew directly at me and I just stared it down. It veered off and up to land on the building (seriously, goose, you weigh like three pounds. colliding with me isn't going to work out for you). I swear it was so close I could have reached out and touched it as it went by.

I guess it didn't like that I didn't flinch because on my next break I found goose shit by my car door.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Damage Control 1

Warnings: non/dubcon, violence, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Jonathan Pine, Lloyd Hansen

Summary: you're sent to work intel on a mission with two very combative men.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You sit in the airport. One piece of luggage. Simple. Easy. You travel light but not alone. Your company has yet to arrive.

Fellow travelers rush back and forth while others wait in queue for the coffee kiosk behind you or meander in hopes of an empty seat. The dark brew isn’t very good. It’s burnt and hollow. You push the cup away and mourn the five dollars for eight ounces of tripe.

You recognise the man, not only because you’ve seen his photo, but because he stands out despite his attempt at insignificance. Tall, blond, lithe but not too slender. He approaches and you stand. He looks around, right over your head. You likely don’t look how he would expect.

“Pine,” you call to him. His blue eyes narrow at you and he redirects. He rolls his bag with him and approaches with his hand extended, “Pine like the tree. Tall as one.”

He tilts his head curiously, “you’re Magenta?”

“I didn’t choose it,” you say.

“Angela?”

“Can’t leave the wee one,” you explain as you hike yourself back up on the tall chair. You bring the cup close again and turn it as you scowl at the brew. “Don’t recommend the coffee. Don’t know about the tea.”

“Hm,” he sits across from you. “Pity. Was hoping for a good cuppa before we head over the pond.”

You look at him and your cheek twitches. You put your hand to it to still it. His blue eyes twinkle.

“You like to hike? With a name like Pine, it’d be ironic, wouldn’t it?” You suggest.

A line forms above his brow, “suppose that would be. I enjoy a run now and then, prefer the coast.”

“I hear they’ve got bears over there. Never saw one. Only rats in New York,” you remark. “I lost a slice of pizza to one. Grimy git.”

“Hm, yes, a city one would hate to be lost in,” he muses.

“You’ve been?”

“A time or two. Not my favourite place.”

“I went to Canada a couple times. I saw a moose. Actually, saw a few. Meese? Have you seen their geese? They’re bloody vicious.” Your cheek keeps twitching. You give up. Nerves.

“Ah, I’ve flown over, not been,” he says. “You nervous of flying?”

“Little. It’s only the take-off that gets me. Went parachuting once and the instructor tricked me. Said the strap on my chute broke. Threw a dummy cord out. Right mad one. Should’ve known better than do a jump for twenty quid.” You chuckle and shake your head. “Haven’t been right since.”

“Sounds especially cruel,” he comments.

“I’ve known crueler,” you grin.

“Mm, yes, as have I,” his brows lift slightly. “So, what do you know about this Hansen character?”

“I know we should keep the chatter to a minimum about him. Not here,” you glance around, catching site of the man who’s not so subtle in his staring.

“You’ve done this before?” He asks.

“I work alone more often. First for having company,” you say quietly. “Your sister, she’s going to be so happy to see you."

He hesitates but smiles anyway, "oh, she will. It's been some time, hasn't it?"

You keep your eyes on him. He doesn't flinch. You're both overtly aware of the man who's oh so convieniently moved closer to grab sugar and napkins.

You lift your arm and check your watch, "look at that, boarding soon."

"Ah, yes, darling, wouldn't want to miss it," he stands and comes around to pull out your chair. You step down and reach for your bag. He has it first. "Allow new."

You take your coffee and dump it in a bin. He rolls both bags with him as you walk in stride.

"Grab my arm. Be natural," he girds.

You obey, putting your hands on his as he clings to your suitcase. You walk with him, a dulcet expression to hide your paranoia. You get to the gate and show your passes.

He lets go of the bags and turns to yawn into his elbow. As he does, he scans the area. You join the queue for the ramp and he leans in.

"He's been rerouted by security," Pine intones.

You nod and stay facing forward. Another twitch.

"You're good," he praises.

You give a soft smile. It's a true compliment. You're not a field agent. This isn't your typical assignment but you owe Angela the favour.

“Eh, sometimes they turn out to just be creeps,” you snort. “Never know with people.”

“No, you never do,” he agrees.

“They say it's cold. November and such,” you sway as the airport attendants mill around near the doors waiting to call for boarding. “Thanksgiving soon, or whathaveyou. Pity we never got in on the fun.”

He laughs again, “never much thought of it.”

“I wouldn't mind turkey. You can get fish at any chippy, but what about nice bird.”

“Oh, I don't recommend picking up birds at a chippy,” he hurls back.

You guffaw, “clever.”

“I like to think so.”

“Mm, yes, most agents I've met tend to have that idea about themselves,” you stretch your arms behind you and scope out the line. You let out a breath. “You seem the football type, eh?”

He seems stricken by the question, “might be.”

“Eh, don't you worry, I won't judge. Not out loud.”

“Right. I'll admit, not many of Angela's friends are so chatty,” he says.

“They wouldn't be but we've ten hours ahead of us. May as well jump right in,” you say.

“May as well,” he agrees. “If you must know, I root for Chelsea.”

“Ach,” you decry. “Well, perhaps we should find a more amiable topic.”

“I see. Spoken like a true Arsenal fan.”

“I'm warning you,” you retort. “I'm much nicer about the weather. Lovely day, isn't it?”

He laughs, “oh, fine day for flying.”

[thetragicallynerdy]

I love baby geese at this awkward tween stage because every now and then they do a flappy flap and it's just

Chickem wing

[ID: A close up photo of five Canada Goose goslings that are mid-way grown, with grey downy fuzzy feathers. One gosling is flapping its wings, which are short and stubby with no long feathers. End ID.]

[mosticonicbirdcallbracket]

MOST ICONIC BIRD CALL BRACKET: ROUND TWO: CANADA GOOSE vs. BLUE JAY

IN THE BLUE CORNER, from wetlands, fields, and golf courses across north america, give it up for the mighty CANADA GOOSE!

as anyone unfortunate enough to tangle with this beast knows, this is a fearsome bird that commands attention in the ring. not just content taking on other birds, canada geese are also known to attack humans, hissing and charging at anyone who gets too close to their goslings. less terrifying than that hiss is their characteristic honk, a throaty, hoarse noise that is primarily made by males of this species. don't miss your chance to witness the power and prowess of this feathered fighter. the canada goose is here to show the world that it's the top bird in the ring, and it won't stop until it's claimed victory!

IN THE RED CORNER, please welcome to the ring the brilliantly blue, the bold and brash, the blue jay!

the blue jay may be a corvid, but it's flashier and louder than its crow and raven cousins. this bird has striking blue feathers and a gull-like shriek that is unlike any other. the blue jay is a master of intimidation, using its piercing gaze and raucous calls to strike fear into the hearts of its opponents. this competitor is even known to imitate the calls of different hawks well enough that it's difficult to tell what bird it's coming from - something the blue jay is certainly smart enough to use to its advantage. this bird is a true champion and is here to take on all challengers!

[welldigger62]

From the local park, shot with my new camera. We have a family of Canada geese swimming in the pond. It was very windy here and there were only two other geese there.

That’s okay, we got all summer for some up close shots, like last year.

Hope your weekend is great so far.

[originalartblog]

I went to the zoo and I saw a teenage dazai walking around!

I also saw a goose that just got out of jail (it had a tag around its neck) and it was def Dazai out on parole. I also then saw a Dazai trying to ditch his four little babies who were trying to catch up to their daddy. This man(goose) is a menace!! I was able to get really close to a Dazai once and flirt with him, too. He looked right into my eye!!

Also yeah I only took pictures of the geese none of the actual animals housed there.

Also also this isn’t an ask I’m just sharing sorry.

it's Goose Stories sharing time!!!

Canada geese can actually be found in most of the northern hemisphere! However, there is also the cackling goose, which looks almost exactly the same as the Canada goose, but smaller and with cuter faces. They kinda look like duck versions of the Canada goose!

>:3c

They are very territorial birds, and take defending their babies very seriously! Do not approach! There are some areas and times of the year where they will be a lot more chill, but best keep good habits.

My own goose story contribution is that this year we had several Canada geese have babies nearby, and they stuck together afterwards. We would see them pass by on the water all together, and there would be 30+ goslings all swimming together and following the dozen or so adults as they would come near the port to feed. It was both very impressive and adorable.

You're all welcome for Goosamu invading your brains 🦆

[dee-the-red-witch]

Would you do me the kindness of reading this thing I wrote?

I walk out to the edge of the lake and stare at the burning horizon, a perfect autumn evening. I watch the Canada geese cut a V across the sky. He walks up behind me, laces his fingers with mine. Today is the last day I will see him for a very long time. He is going to college in another state. I am going to apprentice as a welder. We hold each other closely and appreciate the feeling of one another's palms, the way the joints and lumps don't quite line up comfortably but fit all the better for it. It is three years later. I've got some time off, and I call ahead to tell him I am coming to visit. He has a little time, too; classes haven't gotten too busy, and he's in the planning stages with the group he intends to collaborate with for his senior research. He is always ahead of the curve, where as I always feel like I'm playing catch-up. But today, I have caught him, and we stand at the edge of the duck pond. His hands feel the same; mine have grown hard and calloused, but he doesn't mind. We embrace, and we feed little bits of corn and lettuce to the birds. He says they get too much bread, that they get fat and that the uneaten bits rot in the water. I'm happy to hear him speak. There is no place more comfortable that we could share than the crunchy brown leaves that cover the grass. Another three years have passed. We were supposed to reunite after he earned his Bachelor's, but he got a research offer out on the coast he couldn't pass up. I understand; I got a good job in Detroit, fixing all manner of things for cheap and commuting to help with sculptural projects at all manner of art school in the area. A welder's work is always needed. Today, he's very busy, but we've made time anyway; he's in his last year of his Master's program, we hope — the research is promising, and he doesn't mind teaching so much. I ask if the next college he studies at will have an arts program; maybe I can go to school there, too, and stay closer to him. He hopes so too. We are at a little bar in the gay district of the city he works and researches in; it's nice, and we're the only couple our age; everyone is fresh as morning dew or seasoned and glad for space to be. I have a ring in my pocket; I've been meaning to give it to him for too long. I made it myself, with help from a few art students, who I can't stop talking about him to. It's autumn again; we only seem to meet in autumn. He sips his hot drink. I get ready to go on one knee. But I do not. He has beaten me to it. He takes a knee next to the table and pulls out his own ring, and he asks me to put it on my finger. I say I will, and I do, and it's a little tight, but he says we'll get it fit. My hands are calloused from the work; he still remembers them as they were six years ago, soft and delicate, laced between his own as we watched the geese flying south and the sun set behind the trees at the far side of the lake on the most perfect of autumn evenings there ever was.

I have to admit, I nearly cried the first time I read over this one before recording it. Anyways, again, it's beautiful- thanks for letting me do it.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Okay so I've been wondering for a while, and those recent bsd Double Quack posts have amplified my curiosity-- where did the whole 'Goosamu' thing come from?

Is it just one of those anthrocanons fandoms make sometimes, like the otter/hedgehog thing in Sherlock, etc.? I must know, lol.

(messaging from a kink blog because I'm too lazy to switch, but I wanted to say hi)

Agdjxnz ok well I think @originalaccountname, being the creator of Dazai Goosamu, is a far better person to answer this than me, but I do think it just started because Nawy saw the light one day, and because anyone who’s been up close and personal with Canada Geese irl knows they are absolute terrors with strong Dazai energy.

But yeah it’s less a fandom thing and actually Nawy’s personal creation that just kind of took off lol.

Also, hi! 👋

[silverasks]

I know I’m invested in something when I suddenly remember that I’ve got a whole doc filled with the geography of its world. like a week ago I was close to making a whole map of the dragon au but fell asleep before I got to it.

Anyways what I’m getting at is that I just remembered the hours of research I did on Korean wildlife to create lists of what birds could show up in what areas, and then just blacked out and forgot about it until now.

so here’s the list

Temperate climate

the village

occasional seagull or bird of paradise 

crow

little owl

forests (close to village and surrounding areas)

colourful birds of paridise

honey buzzard

Japanese sparrowhawk

common buzzard

crow

Japanese quail (on ground)

little owl

rufous bellied woodpecker

long tailed shrike

Japanese tit 

lakes/rivers/marshes (freshwater)

herrons

ibises

spoonbills

black storks

geese

swans

ducks

ospray

common phesant

phesant tailed jacana

ocean areas (saltwater)

albatross 

masked booby 

seagulls (ocean to near ocean area)

pelicans

ospray

white tailed eagle 

common kestrel

merlin

least auklet

Dexter's cave (on a mountain to higher/rocker terrain to work with)

golden eagle

Eurasian black vulture

crows

perrigan falcon

hill pidgeon

I’ve never been outside of Canada and America (and was never the best at geography) so I have no idea how inaccurate this could be. but also it’s a fantasy world so I can kinda get away with it

(also lil me was such a bird of prey nerd so I’m going to add more of them then necessary)

let me know if there’s any animals I should add to the list and who knows if I’ll post before 2025 but I think I might work on a map until I have to head off to a New Year’s party

[alex51324]

Big doings at the park this week!

First, the purple trees are almost ready to bloom! Look at them go:

The pink and white trees are already getting started!

The fish were out and swimming around! Can you spot the fish in this picture?

Sophie had a nice roll in the grass:

I was going to do down by the tunnel and try to get some fish close-ups, but I decided not to disturb the duck couple:

All of the waterfowl are having company over about now; normally we only have one pair of canada geese and one pair of mallards, but over the weekend the geese had another couple visiting, and today there were two extra mallards.

Close-up of a purple tree:

Close-up of a white tree:

I saw three turtles! Unfortunately the only one I managed to get a picture of was this one that is floating near a piece of litter:

The other neat thing was that there were a bunch of big, bright blue dragonflies flying around! They were all way too quick for me to get a picture, but they were neat!

Here are the extra mallards. Can you see them?

And the boat! She has her winter jacket off, but she isn't quite ready to go in the water yet.

[try-and-try-and-try-again]

17.07.24 - Young Darwin Scholarship Day 3

Today there was a heavy focus on marine life. The majority of the day was spent at Plymouth with the Ocean Conservation Trust.

1-2. Possibly my highlight of the visit to the National Marine Aquarium was meeting Rodger the Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris). I’ve written about the Common Octopus so much at school and university but this was my first time seeing one in the flesh and it was a special moment for me.

3-4. The other two most in-focus photos I took at the aquarium. A beautiful little jellyfish and a clown fish. I don’t know the specific species of either. I wish I’d thought to take photos of the signs - I did for other creatures so I don’t know why I didn’t for these two. Maybe it was because I was a bit overwhelmed in the aquarium and may not have been thinking clearly. It’s a brilliant independent aquarium that prioritises the welfare of the animals, conservation and research, it was exciting to see so many amazing creatures and I thoroughly recommend visiting it, but lots of spaces were crowded and noisy and had strange lighting which I personally found hard to deal with.

5. After a tour of the aquarium and a talk on conservation work, plankton and dichotomous keys we went on a boat trip round Plymouth Sound. We did some plankton trawling and looked at the findings under a microscope. There were a few zooplankton but also sadly, microplastics. Plankton levels are increasing around the UK, particularly phytoplankton, due to climate change which is drawing more whales to our coast lines to feed than before, hence why whale sightings are going up. Plankton is a significant indicator of environmental conditions and has an important role in food chains so recording their presence is important. The definition of plankton is anything that cannot swim freely against the current and can cover organisms of various sizes. Zooplankton are divided into Holoplankton which remain as plankton for their entire lives, and Meroplankton which live as plankton only at certain stages of their life cycle.

6-8. On the boat trip we also pulled up three Edible Crabs (Cancer pagurus) using smoky bacon as bait (apparently it specifically has to be smoky bacon). There was one male (picture 7) and two females (one of which is in picture 8). Their sexes are determined by the shape of the undersides of their exoskeletons. The prominence of the female’s features suggest she may be carrying eggs. We were hoping to see Cetaceans and Seals from the boat but alas no. Nature is unpredictable.

9. Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dolcamara) spotted on the way to the beach and bridge to look for otters again.

10. No otters were spotted but there was a parade of 22 Canada Geese! I also saw my first ever (live) Kingfisher!!!

Today was hard going again, I can’t lie. I came close to sitting things out but I really wanted to try and keep up. I am sick of the constant battle between pain, fatigue and sensory overload and the desire to see, learn and experience things. Thankfully the people I am with have been so accommodating and helpful and it was a good day over all. Another highlight was hearing lots of nice folk music on the way back from Plymouth that I am glad to have been made aware of (one of the scholars is Scottish and a cèilidh musician and had a playlist).

[woozymitts]

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

I've been really unhappy with my photography lately and I haven't been able to take any pictures I was super happy with but last night we got to see some geese up close and I took some pictures that I'm really pleased with!

They were so close I kept having to zoom out! We were on a narrow path going through a marsh with water to either side and the geese were very used to people so I was able to lay down and take some nice portraits.

I usually just do basic adjustments in Lightroom but this time I decided to export some of the pictures to photoshop for further editing and I'm really happy with how everything turned out!

It was so cute watching the goslings, they made such funny little noises and eventually they got tired from standing so they just flopped down into a pile.

The last picture was from when we had to go AROUND the geese. The path was pretty narrow so we stood on the very edge of the grass and sort of shuffled around them while they hissed at us.

Also, I was not bothering the one in the last picture to get it to hiss for a photo. My mom was behind me so I decided to turn around and quickly take a picture. We walked on the very edge of the trail as far away from them as possible.

[spilledgravy]

core memories of November:

1|•I have to get up early for class kahit nakakatamad bumangon😴

2|•every morning before I leave my place I see this cat "socks". I name her "socks" because she's like wearing a socks 😽

3|•With my friends Canada geese. It's a season of migration during this month kaya andito sila nakakalat sanaol na lang immigrant pumunta dito😂🦆

4|•unexpected same orders of Matcha for the win 💚

5|•First samgy in the history🥬

6|•it's okay not to be "okay" and I know that this feeling is valid. (Biglang nalagyan ng caption yung babaeng nakatalikod eh kumakain lang naman siya mag-isa)😩

7|•Laboratory mula noon hanggang ngayon stream Ikaw at ako by Moira on spotify 🎶

8|•at Brampton downtown I'm always chasing the bus for transfer (most of the time wrong bus nasasakyan ko and lagi ko nalalagpasan yung stop kooo because I was sleeping)😭

9|•Pasakay ako niyan from closing shift ang haba na ng pila ng pasahero which means pa-winter na delayed na mga schedule ng buses kaya nasa gilid ako kasi para makasingit ako kingina ayoko ngang pumila sa libreng sabaw -,-

10|•My first snow experienced was Black Friday sinalubong ko siya while papunta sa shift and that was so freaking tiring kasi ang daming tao sa mall 🥹

So, basically most of the time nalulutang ako and hiatus na buhay ko nagagawa ko pa ding mag explain. Next week is gonna be a busy and cramming week for finals and as we walk through the last month of the year, sana kayanin pa natin para naman hindi masayang ang lahat. 💪🏼🙏🏼✨

x.x macoy~

[rjmenvs3000f23]

Week 1 Blog Post

Prompt : Describe your current relationship with nature. How has this developed/evolved? Who offered you “a sense of place,” as described in our textbook?

My love and appreciation for nature started when I was a little kid. I was born in Tanzania, a country famous for National parks and game reserves. Growing up I remember walking to school and hearing the call of wild peacocks and watching them in awe as their tail feathers rattled. My mom would come and pick me up when school was over and our walk back home was filled with canopies of tall trees that protected us from the harsh sub-Saharan sun. As much as I was fascinated by nature and its abundant flora and fauna, I was also wildly scared of it as a child and I think that’s when I learned how to appreciate it from a distance. 

In the winter of 2008, my family and I moved to Canada, and I got to experience snow for the first time in my life. We lived in Port Credit and every weekend my family and I would walk by the water and we would look at the ducks, geese, and all the Canadian wildlife. These family walks started to instil my sense of place with nature within Canada and they helped to further foster my fascination with it. My family and I then moved to Mississauga and I remember looking forward to the start of every different season. Spring for me meant I could see flowers and trees in bloom and I could look at fields of dandelions from my school bus every morning. Summer meant I could go swimming and visit parks and beaches. One summer my friend and I went to Jack Darling Memorial Park and we found a baby snapping turtle in the water. We would also go to different parks and watch the fish near the surface of ponds and give them names and life stories. Those experiences with my close friends offered me a sense of place with nature and I felt connected with it. Growing up I would also watch nature documentaries and videos of animals peacefully living in sanctuaries and it inspired me to pursue a career with animals. I gained a deep respect for nature and all the wildlife you can find within it throughout the globe.

When I first came to Guelph I was enrolled in the Wildlife Biology program, however, in my second year I ended up switching to Human Kinetics. Despite that, during covid times I would take it upon myself to learn about the plants that surround my neighborhood, and learn more about animal conservation but more so as a hobby now. I enjoy exploring different parks and hiking trails near my city and I still marvel at all the wildlife and plants that flourish within our ecosystem. I’ve also been to Costa Rica, France, and Switzerland, and in each country, I would always take some time to myself to explore the nature there and learn more about it.

Guelph has certainly offered me a sense of place with nature and I love our beautiful campus. My fascination for nature grows every day as I get to learn new material and I do hope to pursue a job in wildlife conservation at some point in my future.