Summer!

It's a scratchy picture due to low lighting but it is a family picture of Ron and Sissy. Sissy is brooding her clutch of 12 eggs and Ron is nervously pacing and keeping others away.  Geese mate for life, and Ganders protect their ladies and their babies from any perceived threat.  They stretch their necks, lower them to the ground and hiss.  If you get too close, they will peck at you.  It's their way, and to get mad at them for doing what comes naturally is really stupid.

So when Ron starts hissing at me, I tell him he's being a good Daddy and mate.

Dave and I go round and round about the look of Ron.  He's got a muddied-feather look that is not as defined as the others. Well, it's easier to see in comparison:

Here are the twins: Ginger and Sweet Pea.  Both male, both will never go anywhere without the other.  Notice the smooth breasts and defined side feathers on both.  Ron doesn't have that. My theory is that Ron is a mix of an African and a Chinese goose, both have the same markings and coloration, but Chinese -brown Chinese - are more a Milk Chocolate coloration instead of Dark Chocolate.

And who knows? There might be a bit of Sebastopol in that Gander as well.  His offspring will be interesting to see.

Our girls are growing rapidly: a month old and sprouting feathers. The ducklings are being raised with them and it seems to be a good idea.  They don't really notice that there is a difference in them except when trying to swim. To them, they are all one flock. This was taken last weekend and you'll see them all with their heads tilted up to the sky. They cannot see bilaterally like we can, so to really look at something, they tilt their heads and look with one eye.  In the sky above, were two turkey vultures.

More ducklings are on the way. I also pick up 6 new chickens next week.  Real sized chickens, not these bantam things that are pretty much useless.  Their eggs are small and they barely feed two adults off of one rooster. I remember the lady that sold me Molly was looking for Bantams.  Maybe she'd want the ones we've got.