snow goose saga: part 4

we drove to the river bridge and parked in the gravel off to the side, then walked to the bridge to stake out the scene.  there, we saw the two resident domestic ducks, big and fat and stately brown and white with orange feet, standing in the muddy low-tide banks of the river.  right next to them, dwarfed by their stature, stood two grey geese, exact replicas of the one we had in our backyard.  bingo!  we pulled the kennel out of the van, went down to the bank opposite of where they were at.  we held our breath, and opened the door.  the goose was confused.  he must have not see them.  he didn't get it at all.  he tried to walk the wrong way, up the bank.  we were panicked he would fly away before reuniting with his family, so we put him back in the kennel and walked him over to the other side to try again.  and again, we held our breath. and again, we opened the door.  this time, the goose saw his kind.  everyone stretched their necks up and honked.  it was a happy reunion.  then, all five geese went back to their business pecking at the mud, as if nothing had happened at all.