THE BIGGS
2005 through Present (December 2009)
BIGG AND MRS BIGG, JUNE 2008
2005 through Present (December 2009)
BIGG AND MRS BIGG, JUNE 2008
We've been friends with Bigg and his wife for five years. We named him BIGG because of his big bill and big appetite.
BIGG is also extremely aggressive and demanding, marching right up to us to be hand-fed. Mrs. Bigg is equally aggressive and demanding. They are a lovable, comical couple.
The Biggs were a major headache for us during the summer of 2006, leading their family beyond the park, crossing busy streets at all hours of the day and night, in search of green grass to eat. There was a terrible drought and food was scarce in the park. Even though parent geese do not feed their children, they have to show their goslings sources of food and that's what The Biggs were trying to do. Frantically, we posted geese crossing signs all over the area and thankfully, no mishaps occurred during that hot, dry summer.
The BIGGs returned in the spring of 2007 with no goslings. After all the headache the "model" parents had given us the previous year, we heaved a sigh of relief that they were not going to spend the summer at the park raising their goslings.
The BIGGs returned in 2008 with goslings and of course, they were gang brood parents. They behaved themselves and keeping their many kids safe. The BIGGs were real model parents this summer, never getting into any trouble with their big gang brood. They deserve a gold medal for good parenting. The family migrated south November 7, 2008 after a snow and ice storm.
May 12, 2009: The BIGGS return
We were overjoyed to welcome The BIGGS back from the south May 12, 2009. They were with their extended family of eleven and they had no goslings. They recognized us instantly and paddled up to greet us. We have never discovered their nest site and therefore, have no idea what may have transpired after their return to the city. Questions about whether they nested or whether Mrs. Bigg even returned in egg laying condition will remain unanswered but they looked healthy and were in high spirits. We only saw them one more time in early June before they headed north to molt.
The Biggs returned from molt in mid-September 2009 and they`re a permanent fixture at the park. They belong to the greeting party when we visit and Bigg can always be found standing erect before me, asking to be hand fed!
DECEMBER 2009: We last saw and fed The Biggs November 11 and we assume they migrated south with a large flock the next day. The Biggs used to remain until the weather became truly inhospitable before heading south but in recent years, they have migrated earlier, even when the weather's been mild and there's been no sign of an impending snowstorm.
BIGG is also extremely aggressive and demanding, marching right up to us to be hand-fed. Mrs. Bigg is equally aggressive and demanding. They are a lovable, comical couple.
In the summer of 2005 and 2006, The BIGGS were power parents to a gang brood of about 30 or more goslings. I suppose you can say their names are appropriate because they have BIG families as well.
The Biggs were a major headache for us during the summer of 2006, leading their family beyond the park, crossing busy streets at all hours of the day and night, in search of green grass to eat. There was a terrible drought and food was scarce in the park. Even though parent geese do not feed their children, they have to show their goslings sources of food and that's what The Biggs were trying to do. Frantically, we posted geese crossing signs all over the area and thankfully, no mishaps occurred during that hot, dry summer.
The BIGGs returned in the spring of 2007 with no goslings. After all the headache the "model" parents had given us the previous year, we heaved a sigh of relief that they were not going to spend the summer at the park raising their goslings.
The BIGGs returned in 2008 with goslings and of course, they were gang brood parents. They behaved themselves and keeping their many kids safe. The BIGGs were real model parents this summer, never getting into any trouble with their big gang brood. They deserve a gold medal for good parenting. The family migrated south November 7, 2008 after a snow and ice storm.
May 12, 2009: The BIGGS return
We were overjoyed to welcome The BIGGS back from the south May 12, 2009. They were with their extended family of eleven and they had no goslings. They recognized us instantly and paddled up to greet us. We have never discovered their nest site and therefore, have no idea what may have transpired after their return to the city. Questions about whether they nested or whether Mrs. Bigg even returned in egg laying condition will remain unanswered but they looked healthy and were in high spirits. We only saw them one more time in early June before they headed north to molt.
The Biggs returned from molt in mid-September 2009 and they`re a permanent fixture at the park. They belong to the greeting party when we visit and Bigg can always be found standing erect before me, asking to be hand fed!
DECEMBER 2009: We last saw and fed The Biggs November 11 and we assume they migrated south with a large flock the next day. The Biggs used to remain until the weather became truly inhospitable before heading south but in recent years, they have migrated earlier, even when the weather's been mild and there's been no sign of an impending snowstorm.