Survivance

Studying nature has always been one of my main obsessions while exploring the countryside; it doesn’t matter whether I am hiking, paddling canoe, or simply sitting on a shoreline watching my surroundings; I am always intently analysing what is happening all around me and comparing with my previous encounters.

Whenever I see a wilderness family I can’t help but think about the constant life and death struggles that is their normal day. We as humans would be absolutely devastated and torn to pieces with what they have to endure as normality.

Let me portray one particular family that I had the great fortune to observe and study during the Spring and Summer of 2006. While out for my usual evening paddle on Jean Lake just to the West side of Wabush in Labrador I came across the nest of a Canada goose, she and the Gander weren’t at all pleased with my presence, even though I gave them lots of space.

There was five beautiful eggs in her nest and she was ready to defend them to no ends. However, about a week later as I was again passing the nest, I noticed that one was missing, leaving her to hatch four eggs, possibly a fox or gull may have stolen one while she and the gander were busy driving off another thief.

Sadly, about two months later I observed that she only had three young goslings with her, I can only speculate that a predator took another of the goslings from her and her mate. These families are precious, so appreciate them and what they have to endure simply to survive.