Breaking Web(foot) News: First Goslings Sighting of 2025

Bob Benenson
May 7
2 min read

Communing with the Next Generation of Baby Waterfowl is a Gift

Spring is my most cherished season, not only because we get a break from winter's chill and the big coat, but more importantly because the regeneration of life — the flowers, the blossoming trees, the animals coming out of hiding with their new generations in tow — is really a miracle.

The most special treat for me is the annual ritual of visiting North Pond in Chicago's Lincoln Park to commune with the goslings and ducklings. There is something so endearing about these beautiful little fluffballs as they begin to make their way in the world.

The date of arrival for the first baby birds varies from year to year. There were none when I visited last week. But Barb and I and our friend Sharon took advantage of some lovely weather on Tuesday (May 6) to drop in, and we were rewarded with the scene in the photo above: two goslings that had quickly taken to swimming, under the watchful eyes of Mother and Father Goose.

While wild geese have a reputation for having nasty tempers, the North Pond geese are quite tame... though the protective parents make sure to let you know that they know you're there.

If you have kids, you might consider taking them on this nature walk. My guess is that they would find these babies just adorable.

After spending some time honoring these new arrivals, we continued our stroll around the pond. We were just about to call it a day and head for the bus home when, right on a sidewalk, we came upon this.