Hugo, Ore. –One of the reasons Leon Hunsaker loves living out in the woods of Hugo is because of the wildlife. But a visit from a goose who’s now nesting on top of his 15-foot shed has him concerned for the goslings.
Hunsaker is a retired meteorologist. He worked in the Rogue Valley, including KOBI, from 1976 to 1993. He said he welcomes the goose, but he is also a father and those paternal instincts kicked in when he went out on his back porch and saw the nesting goose.
“But once the eggs hatch how are the goslings going to get down on the ground without being injured?,” Hunsaker asked.
It’s a valid question. One Oregon Fish and Wildlife District Biologist Mark Vargas said he’s asked all the time by others who share the same concern.
“There’s always a nest over at Agate Lake that the same thing occurs, and it’s high up. It’s higher than our flag pole and people think the goslings need to be rescued,” Vargas said.
But Vargas said there’s no need to worry. A search on YouTube shows the brave babies jumping off 400 foot cliffs, even bouncing off rocks, to meet their mom on the ground.
“The little goslings are built for that. They fall out when the mother wants them to go,” he said. “They’re fluffy things, they sort of float down, they bounce.”
The answer comes as a relief to Hunsaker who can now watch his little friend without stress.
Vargas said the goose builds her nest up high for a reason, to protect her eggs from ground predators.
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