Young Goose Family crosses a beautiful Canadian river

The magical Rideau river in Ottawa, Canada. This particularly peaceful spot on the river is just a few minutes’ walk from my house, so I come often, in all four seasons. It always has something special to offer.

This early morning in May, a family of Canada geese are making their way across the glassy, rapidly-flowing surface. Mom (the goose) always leads the way, with the little goslings following in a line behind her, and Dad (the gander) bringing up the rear.

The goslings in this clip are only a few weeks old, and not yet able to fly, so Mom and Dad are keeping them close and safe.

Curiously, there also seems to be a little bit of commotion going on behind them at one point in the video. Perhaps some sort of goose disagreement? Did someone honk too loud?

Enjoy the serenity as the geese glide by. And it’s fun to remember that as graceful and calm as those geese look as they cross the river, underneath the surface their little feet are paddling like mad!