Wander at Will: Hiking in search of goslings

Editor’s note: This story is part of our Wander at Will series, which is designed to inspire you to enjoy the many recreation opportunities in your Will County preserves in whatever ways you are able to. Whether you’re a well-traveled explorer or just starting your outdoor adventures, digital marketing coordinator Meghan McMahon hopes her first-person adventures will help you’ll find new ideas, tips and hidden gems to help you connect with the outdoors all year.

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. My favorite thing, at least about spring, is goslings. I just love watching the little fluff balls learn to make their way in the world — under the watchful eyes of their parents, of course.

Because I get so much joy from them, I make a point every spring to be in the places where I can expect to see them. It’s not hard to figure out where they might be. Pick a body of water and there’s a good chance you’ll find Canada geese. And in spring, that means there’s a good chance a gaggle of fluffy goslings will be following closely behind.

But luck has not been on my side so far this spring. Even though I’ve made a point to be outside in the preserves more this year — it’s the whole point of Wander at Will, after all — I hadn’t seen goslings anywhere until now. 

Finally, after striking out at a handful of my usual spots, I saw a pair of geese and their four goslings at Rock Run Preserve. They were too far away for a picture, but not so far that I couldn't sit and watch them for awhile without them taking notice of me.

These goslings were probably a few weeks old by now, not quite so awkward and clumsy as they are initially and getting to the stage where they yellow downy feathers are starting to darken. But they were still playful, with all four splish-splashing around in the water once their parents stopped to forage for a bit. 

People have asked why I love watching goslings so much, and I don’t usually have an answer. They’re just cute. But when I really think about it, there’s more to it than that. It’s also because the geese and goslings seem like a microcosm of my own parenting journey. 

It’s been almost exactly two decades since I first had a newborn, but I vividly remember what those days were like. It was exhausting, and not just because of the sleep schedule. It’s exhausting because you are suddenly responsible for keeping this tiny, helpless being alive, and that requires a lot of mental bandwidth when it’s a new responsibility.

I imagine that’s how Mom and Dad Goose feel too, so who could blame them for getting a little snappy when intruders — human or otherwise — get a little too close for comfort? I’ve had that same instinct to protect my own children at all costs, even when the so-called infraction was well-intentioned. 

And as the goslings grow and get a little more independent, you can see Mom and Dad take a step back. They let those growing fluff balls start to navigate the world on their own, but they are always ready to step in at a moment’s notice. I remember those days as a parent too, when you have to watch from a safe distance as you let your kids accomplish their own milestones without you holding their hand.

And just like today’s goslings will soon be ready to step out into the world without their parent’s watchful eye, my own kids are mostly grown now. They don’t need me to step in to help in anymore, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully lose that instinct. That’s why I am always happy, delighted even, to watch the geese and goslings from afar, without threatening their sense of safety and security. Because parenting is hard no matter what. The least we can do is respect other parents as they help their offspring grow to be self-sufficient. That's the goal, isn't it?