Codorus State Park near Hanover is seeing tiny yellow Canada Goose goslings hatch by the dozens on the Lake Marburg islands.
It really is a whole lotta cute.
Dozens of nests are scattered over the island, with males carefully guarding the nests while females keep eggs and babies warm. Intruders who wander too close will hear the male hiss. If that doesn't work, the male will launch its 20 pounds and wingspan of 5.5 feet at the visitor. That usually drives even the most curious away.
The island is covered with poison ivy, so be aware of vines that might not have leaves yet but can still cause a nasty itchy rash. Use common sense when photographing the birds by keeping a safe and comfortable distance (for you and the geese).
Please be careful while wandering the islands (which is also a roost for a large number of cormorants), because nests and Mama can be hidden amazingly well. If on eggs, the female is very reluctant to leave the nest and if the male is away, you might almost step on the nest before you see it.
If you plan to take cameras to the island in a kayak or canoe, be sure to keep them in a waterproof case or bag. It'd be a shame to lose a camera on the way to the islands when your kayak dumps or is soaked by waves.
By the way, remember you must HAVE a life jacket in the boat. You certainly SHOULD wear it. Click here for laws concerning life jackets.
Both pictures taken with a 500 mm f8 mirror lens, 200 ISO. Silhouette at 1/250 second, family photo at 1/500 second.
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