Spring Babies

Ready to be overwhelmed with cuteness?

Spring means rebirth - new leaves on trees, blooming flowers in gardens, and best of all - baby animals!

Mama goose tending her goslings

My neighbor recently visited one of our local parks and came home with some wonderful photos of newly-hatched baby goslings.  Of course I just had to check things out for myself.  So one sunny evening I recruited my hubby to join me for a photo walk.

The happy family

Our timing couldn't have been better.  As I walked towards the pond, the first thing I spotted were the baby goslings all lined up, swimming after their parents.  Cuteness overload!  Even better, the family floated through a sunny spot in the pond, casting them all in wonderful soft evening light.

"We want some too, mom!"

The goose family then paddled to shore, marched up on the bank, and proceeded to forage for food in the nearby grass.

Adorable fluffballs

They gave quite a show for all of us bystanders with cameras!  However the family quickly grew tired of all this attention, and the parents steered their offspring towards a quiet, but swampy corner of the park.  Never one to let a little mud stop me, I followed along.

Snuggling up to mother goose

I had my 150-600 mm lens with me, so I was able to observe the goslings from a non-threatening distance.  The babies wandered around in the grass feeding, until some of them became tired.

Naptime!

Then a few of the goslings cuddled up next to their mother, and dropped off to sleep.  So sweet to watch!

Crossing the path

After trailing the goose family for a good half hour, the light began fading, and I decided I'd bothered the brood enough for one evening.  However, after capturing such wonderful images I yearned for another chance, which prompted my return a couple mornings later.

"Now kids, behave!"

Luck was with me once again.  Not only were the geese out and about, the entire family was spread out directly adjacent to the paved walking path that circled the pond.  Time to warm up my big lens!

Copying mother's walk

This time I was able to get even closer to the babies.  And neither parents nor kids seemed to mind.  The entire family was so intent on getting breakfast, they didn't even acknowledge my presence.  So I hung around, snapping away.

Looking for goodies in the grass

Even thought it had only been a few days since I'd first photographed them, the goslings seemed to have grown bigger already.  I'm sure to ensure survival, these little ones need to develop quickly.  I loved their soft, fluffy feathers, miniature beaks, and tiny, flightless wings.

"What's that weird lady with the camera doing?"

So, despite the quarantine situation, I'm finding new opportunities to get out and photograph nature.  It might not be the vast fields of wildflowers from past spring hikes, but these newly-born goslings are just as wonderful.