[Jacob-list] the big fight

[Melody]

Well, I saw a battle yesterday like none I've ever seen before. Both contestants were protecting their offspring (or thought they were), both were determined to see it through to the end, but though the opponents were hardly fairly matched the smaller combatant won.    While carrying a new lamb up to the barn with the ewe following, we had to pass near the area where two of my big white embden geese are sitting on nests.  I paused and set the lamb down for a moment for mama to sniff, to reassure her that all was well with the little one, and at that time the ganders decided we were too close to their females and nests.  One gander came dashing up, flapping and hissing; the ewe thought it was attacking her baby and went after it.  I have never seen anything like that in my life!  The ewe was pawing and butting the goose, actually pinning it to the ground with her horns astraddle of its neck  a couple of times,  and the goose would flap free and bite and flay with its wings, attacking and not trying to escape.  This is not a small goose, but it still only weighs about 30 lbs, and I figured it was all over for goosey gander.  All I could do was pick up the baby and keep dancing out of the way as the fight circled around me.  Much to my surprise, after several minutes of this, the goose got a good beak hold on the ewe's ear, whacked her a couple more times in the face and body with outstretched wings, and the ewe took off running for the far end of the pasture with the goose still attached to the ear and flapping in the wind.  Goose let go a few yards into the pasture, shook itself, and marched back to its "territory", giving me a very nasty look and a few rude goose words on the way past. I went out into the pasture to calm down the ewe and coax her back to her baby and the nice safe stall in the barn.  What I wouldn't give to have caught that on film!
Melody at CritterLand
Redmond OR
PS--now 3 for 3 ewe lambs--and crossing fingers, with 9 ewes still to go.
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