Island Tidings

This lonely gander has lost his gaggle

During the past four years, this gander and his two male gaggle mates have terrorized our road. They staked out the intersection in front of their house and attacked anyone who ventured by: pedestrians, cyclists, even motorists. I gave up walking in their direction unless I was feeling particularly brave. Armed with a long stick to keep them at bay, I learned never to turn my back on them. That was the signal for an all-out attack. With necks and wings extended, honking furiously, they would fly up and try to bite as I ran screaming down the road.

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On my walk, I rescued a torpid rough-skinned newt from the road, warmed him up in my hands and carried him home to identify. I named him Newton, rigged up a temporary terrarium with moist paper, pureed cat food and a water dish for drinking and dunking. Despite his ever-present smile, he wouldn’t eat, so the next day I released him in my neighbor’s small pond across the street. He took to it immediately. His ear flaps opened as he swam happily away.