the rites of spring report

[chris.brock]

It's a spring ritual for us. In late April, we wander up a creek.

My eyes were on the water while I was walking along the riverbank trail and I almost stepped on a gosling. The other guys came up from behind me, we didn't say anything, we were all just looking down at the little guy.

 

 

I had seen a family of Canada geese pretty far down stream. I had to wait for them as they got off the trail. Was this little guy part of their clan? He was skittish and tried to move away from us but he didn't go too far. How can we fix this? We began discussing what we should do. Cell phones came out, google searches commenced and the conversation continued.

 

I was leaning towards picking him up, gently tossing him out into the riffle, with the hope he would be reunited with his family down stream, if in fact that was his family. After a lot of discussion, and a long story short, we decided it's best not to touch him, leave him where he is and hopefully the parents will pick him up.

 

There was a nice looking pool just 100 feet up stream and we headed towards it. I'm guessing it was 40 minutes we spent standing around our little buddy trying to figure out what to do. When we started to leave and head up river, he started to follow us. We stuck by the decision that it's best for him if we just go. As we went, he followed. When the bush blocked him, he took to the river and swam hard against the current towards us.

 

At that nice looking pool and above, the fish started to show up.

 

 

 

 

We'll remember this outing mostly because of our little buddy.

Edited May 1, 2017 by chris.brock

[spincast]

cool report. nice couple fish to start the softwater season

[OhioFisherman]

Cool! Now I am wondering if the duck eggs in my field hatched yet?

[BillM]

Nice job Chris!

[AKRISONER]

jesus thats a nice bow...i bet it was tasty as well! (if you kept it)

[misfish]

So what was the out come on your search for not handling the little one Chris? I know from old tales that, if you pick up a young bird and place it back, the adult will either reject it or kill it due to the human scent on it. You guys made the right choice IMO. It,s nature, and let nature take it,s course, as cruel as it may seem or the out come. Enjoyed the short read.

 

Nice fish,s too.

[Dutchy]

I know from old tales that, if you pick up a young bird and place it back, the adult will either reject it or kill it due to the human scent on it.

 

That is an old tale and not true. Birds will not reject an egg or baby bird because of a human touching it. If the bird started to follow, it is imprinting on the person. As a biologist, I would have taken it, but in general you are right Misfish. Leave all wild animals alone. Nature is a fickle beast.

 

NIce fish Chris.

[misfish]

See,learn something new again. Thanks Dutchy

[Moosebunk]

Cute little fella! One day he'll grow up to rain poop on unsuspected vehicles passing by... like yesterday when my rain clean truck got completely rain poop repainted.

 

Cool stuff Sir Brock! Spring leads into seasons of much more fish ahead. Gonna be great.

[4x4bassin]

Good report Chris

[farsider]

Nicey done Chris!

 

Lots of cool signs of spring.

 

Trilliums, Jack-in-the Pulpit, May Apples, Fiddleheads, Trout Opener.

 

Almost Morel time!

 

Good On ya.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[manitoubass2]

Hahaha cool Chris!!!!

 

Nice fish btw too!!!! Obviously worth the trek.

 

I had a similar conundrum when I showed up at work one morning and a hawk was resting on a bench in the smoking area.

 

As people showed up it drew a crowd, people taking selfies etc as the bird, although upright, appeared to be dying.

 

People started discussing to throw it in the air so I urged them not too and got safety to call the mnr.

 

Unfortunately someone did throw it over a fence, and i found it dead about 13 hours later in a ditch.

 

Probably would have died anyhow, but jees, leave it alone ffs

[Old Ironmaker]

Thanks for the interesting report Chris. It makes me think back 30 years ago, here you guys spend 40 minutes to do the right thing for the little guy and we were going around the plant spraying nesting bird eggs with windshield washer anti freeze with the full support of the MNR and MOT. That was when the Canada Goose population was exploding in urban areas and was effecting aviation corridors to what is now John C. Munro Airport in Hamilton.

 

Nice fish, the boat has been pointed towards Lake O and Erie for 3 weeks, there is so much water under it in the yard I can cast from where it sits. Rain, rain go away, please.

[Freshtrax]

Nice goin cool looking fish