WALLY AND NELLIE
By Choo Choo Love
2007 through May 2011
Earl with Wally and Nellie April 4 2010
By Choo Choo Love
2007 through May 2011
Earl with Wally and Nellie April 4 2010
We were at the parking lot of Wal Mart in May 2007 when I thought I saw a goose nesting on the open lot. We walked up to take a better look and as we did, we heard a clamor of honks behind us. Turning around quickly, we saw a goose swooping toward us. We managed to dive and run for it as he landed before us and rushed at us with his outstretched wings, honking in anger. That was our first introduction to Wally.
In the days to come, we would look for Wally, run toward him, dump a pile of grain and run back to the parking lot.
Within a short time, Wally began to recognize us and no longer threatened when we approached with grain. He trotted up and even allowed us to get closer to his lady on her nest. She was extremely nervous so we named her Nellie (Nervous Nellie).
Nellie must have begun nesting later than most of the other geese because her goslings hatched early in June. One Sunday, we had just arrived when we saw the family trotting off across the road with their young ones. And that was the last we saw of them in 2007.
Wally and Nellie returned to the same nest at the Wal Mart open space in April 2008. There was a lot of snow on the ground and the temperature hovered in the 30s. They recognized us and trotted up to be fed. Once again, Nellie made her nest in the same area. In late May, we saw her goslings but a few days later, they were gone. Wally and Nellie trotted up to us, a forlorn looking pair. We wondered what could possibly have happened to their goslings. They remained in the area until the end of May, then left to molt and that was the last time we saw them that year.
Nellie and her goslings May 2009
This was the cover photo of our 2010 calendar.
Our charming couple returned to nest in the same spot in April 2009 and were successful in hatching about six goslings. By this time, they were both so used to us that Nellie was no longer a nervous Nellie around us and Wally would sometimes even ignore us when we showed up. They knew we were their friends. When Nellie's goslings hatched, they allowed me to get quite close to take some gorgeous photographs and one of their photos was featured in our 2010 Calendar.
Wally and Nellie returned in April 2010 and were successful in hatching another clutch. They remained around the nest site for a couple of days, unusual for them but probably because there was a lot of water in the area so there was no need for them to hurry to get their goslings to a pond.
Nellie returned in April 2011, to our delight, but sadly, without Wally. In his place was another gander whom we named Marty. Marty is a friendly gander who comes up to greet us with a welcoming honk whenever we visit. He is not as protective of Nellie as Wally used to be. Nellie is presently nesting. We miss Wally and we hope he is still living the wild life.
In the days to come, we would look for Wally, run toward him, dump a pile of grain and run back to the parking lot.
Within a short time, Wally began to recognize us and no longer threatened when we approached with grain. He trotted up and even allowed us to get closer to his lady on her nest. She was extremely nervous so we named her Nellie (Nervous Nellie).
Nellie must have begun nesting later than most of the other geese because her goslings hatched early in June. One Sunday, we had just arrived when we saw the family trotting off across the road with their young ones. And that was the last we saw of them in 2007.
Wally and Nellie returned to the same nest at the Wal Mart open space in April 2008. There was a lot of snow on the ground and the temperature hovered in the 30s. They recognized us and trotted up to be fed. Once again, Nellie made her nest in the same area. In late May, we saw her goslings but a few days later, they were gone. Wally and Nellie trotted up to us, a forlorn looking pair. We wondered what could possibly have happened to their goslings. They remained in the area until the end of May, then left to molt and that was the last time we saw them that year.
Nellie and her goslings May 2009
This was the cover photo of our 2010 calendar.
Our charming couple returned to nest in the same spot in April 2009 and were successful in hatching about six goslings. By this time, they were both so used to us that Nellie was no longer a nervous Nellie around us and Wally would sometimes even ignore us when we showed up. They knew we were their friends. When Nellie's goslings hatched, they allowed me to get quite close to take some gorgeous photographs and one of their photos was featured in our 2010 Calendar.
Wally and Nellie returned in April 2010 and were successful in hatching another clutch. They remained around the nest site for a couple of days, unusual for them but probably because there was a lot of water in the area so there was no need for them to hurry to get their goslings to a pond.
Nellie returned in April 2011, to our delight, but sadly, without Wally. In his place was another gander whom we named Marty. Marty is a friendly gander who comes up to greet us with a welcoming honk whenever we visit. He is not as protective of Nellie as Wally used to be. Nellie is presently nesting. We miss Wally and we hope he is still living the wild life.