Duck, Duck, Goose, Part Duex

I was worried that even though Trevor recognized at least Earl, that the geese might not recognize him. After all, they had been away for a season, wherever it is that Canadian geese go....Mexico I guess? I thought it might take a few days or weeks to get reacquainted.

When Trevor came across the bridge and gave out a call, the geese were at the other end of the island. Three of the four came right towards him, honking and bobbing their heads up and down.
Earl was the most stand-offish, but that was no surprise. He was the dad and last year was always rather mean. He would squawk at anyone approaching. Earl would even stand in the road, challenging cars that wanted to pass by, hissing & flaring his wings.
But after a few minutes, all four were at Trevor's feet. Trevor got mad because once Earl joined in, he started biting at the other three but I explained "pecking order".
It made Trevor's night when we read this passage about Canadian geese tonight:
Canada geese recognize particular people. We have often been surprised to be greeted by our geese when we're not in the usual park pond or nesting area, when we're among a lot of other people, and when we're not carrying any food. They fly or run up to us, honking their exuberant greetings, and extend their necks out to us, performing their bowing greeting ceremony, something they do toward fellow geese. There is no greater honor than to be accepted as their friend and to be treated as a fellow goose.