I thought the nest was lost this morning, the herd of cattle that run free range in the valley were sleeping under the hau, the vigorous wild hibiscus where the nest is hidden. Carefully I urged them away, stepping within feet of the nest. The goose was nowhere to be seen. It was important they did not stampede. As they left, branches broke around them. The last one refused to move and had to be coaxed out with fruit. They had entered from the back where the hau is less dense, and laid down to rest on the dry ground.
The geese are nervous of the cattle. To a goose they must appear like a double-decker bus on four legs. The bark of a dog in the distance can make them stampede, making their behavior unpredictable. The ranchers herd them with dogs and have rodeo shows on the ranch land, but have permission to graze in the valley, which belongs mostly to the Bishop Estate.
These animals stepping so close in the dark, would have driven her off the nest.
She was by the river and did not return at first, but the male seemed concerned, standing at the edge of the bushes and gazing towards the nest. At last she made her way in, I glimpsed her lifting the leaves off, uncovering large perfect eggs, two or three, and then settling on the nest.
Nene are described as being monogamous. The other birds that lost their nests to pigs earlier in the season were devoted to one another. When the female left the nest to feed, the male guarded it until she returned. He remained close by, 24 hours a day. This male has spent very little time near the nest. He seems loosely connected to it and when she leaves to feed he follows her if he is around. Tonight he flew off with the young female that was born here last year, after being away most of the day with her. His nesing female appears unconcerned about him, but very focused on the nest. He always stands beside the nesting bird when the three are together, and she sometimes chases the other female, but is mostly too busy with feeding and nesting. This pair were inseparable prior to nesting, and he seems to be behaving now as if he has been abandoned. Their number bands suggest they are both about six years old.
At the start of the nesting season, the young female was chased away by her parents. Her big sister formed a pair bond straight away, but this smaller bird, the little sister, rejected four suitors, and continued tagging along with her parents, at a greater distance, even as they nested. Eventually they became more aggressive towards her and she returned to her home base here, and began to tag along with this male, the only male she has tolerated.
Here are some of the new series of drawings I've been working on. The native wetland birds of this ahupua'a (land division, from mountain to reef). Very different from the Washington work, and using a new technique which I will share in another post. To have the river beside me as I work, and several species of endangered water birds interacting around it, is a great gift.
Today was warm and sunny, the waves in the bay are reaching 25' on the face and forecast to get bigger by morning, with an extra high tide expected, there are coastal flood warnings, and some serious surfers around.
The geese are nervous of the cattle. To a goose they must appear like a double-decker bus on four legs. The bark of a dog in the distance can make them stampede, making their behavior unpredictable. The ranchers herd them with dogs and have rodeo shows on the ranch land, but have permission to graze in the valley, which belongs mostly to the Bishop Estate.
These animals stepping so close in the dark, would have driven her off the nest.
She was by the river and did not return at first, but the male seemed concerned, standing at the edge of the bushes and gazing towards the nest. At last she made her way in, I glimpsed her lifting the leaves off, uncovering large perfect eggs, two or three, and then settling on the nest.
Nene are described as being monogamous. The other birds that lost their nests to pigs earlier in the season were devoted to one another. When the female left the nest to feed, the male guarded it until she returned. He remained close by, 24 hours a day. This male has spent very little time near the nest. He seems loosely connected to it and when she leaves to feed he follows her if he is around. Tonight he flew off with the young female that was born here last year, after being away most of the day with her. His nesing female appears unconcerned about him, but very focused on the nest. He always stands beside the nesting bird when the three are together, and she sometimes chases the other female, but is mostly too busy with feeding and nesting. This pair were inseparable prior to nesting, and he seems to be behaving now as if he has been abandoned. Their number bands suggest they are both about six years old.
At the start of the nesting season, the young female was chased away by her parents. Her big sister formed a pair bond straight away, but this smaller bird, the little sister, rejected four suitors, and continued tagging along with her parents, at a greater distance, even as they nested. Eventually they became more aggressive towards her and she returned to her home base here, and began to tag along with this male, the only male she has tolerated.
Here are some of the new series of drawings I've been working on. The native wetland birds of this ahupua'a (land division, from mountain to reef). Very different from the Washington work, and using a new technique which I will share in another post. To have the river beside me as I work, and several species of endangered water birds interacting around it, is a great gift.
Today was warm and sunny, the waves in the bay are reaching 25' on the face and forecast to get bigger by morning, with an extra high tide expected, there are coastal flood warnings, and some serious surfers around.
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