Geese, like red squirrels, are either loved or hated. Sometimes loved and tolerated, depending upon the circumstances. It’s one of those, “not in my back yard” situations. Geese may be more enjoyed when they frequent the empty lot next door instead of the freshly mowed grass of the front yard. They float nicely too in area waters.

Geese, unlike reds, are not inclined to breech an attic vent or burrow into a foundation. Red squirrels inside a house go completely bonkers, setting off motion detectors, chewing up wires and furniture, and in general, camping out wherever they please. Geese don't do that.

But, geese are big, and they eat a lot and inevitably share the fruits of their digestion with all who pass their way. I have mowed some lawns that look like blended kale pate after cutting. Its all biodegradable, I know, but mowing geese lawns can get messy. Weed whacking is quite an adventure too. A word of advice to whacker operators — keep your mouth closed and wear goggles!

But who can resist the cuteness of the new baby goslings? They scurry along between their parents, peering out to the vast unfamiliar, in search of new grassy areas and inlets. They too will become processors, but they are fun to watch.

The next time you see the neighborhood red squirrel attacking your bird feeder, be grateful for their smallness. A goose in the bird feeder would be a problem. But we should be glad that cows don't fly. Right?