Call that goose Gone

COEUR d’ALENE — Not everyone is a fan of being famous.

Leaving behind just a couple piles of feathers, Mother Goose has left her nesting place next to The Coeur d'Alene Resort Boardwalk bridge with nary a clue as to what happened to her and her eggs.

Kiira Siitari, regional communications manager for Idaho Fish and Game, said she and the biologists don't necessarily think it was fowl — er, foul — play.

"Our first reaction was that she probably was feeling all the disturbance from being a celebrity and moved out of town to a safer place that’s a little less exposed," Siitari said Tuesday.

Mama goose made the front page of The Press on Friday when subscriber Skip Fuller shared the news that she had built a nest near one of the bridge pillars, easily visible and actually quite close to foot traffic.

Since then, the location she had chosen for her nest has been vacated, with no signs of mischief — or hatched eggs. Siitari said predators are pretty messy and would have left evidence if that was the case.

"It is a little odd that no pieces of the nest are left over," she said. "A lot of times since these birds nest in high exposed places, the wind will knock things down.

"Maybe she abandoned it and then it got cleared out."

Resort personnel also seem puzzled about the goose's disappearance.

On closer inspection, just a couple fragments that look like they could have been from shells were left, as well as pieces of bread left by human visitors. It’s possible the eggs could have hatched and everyone flew away, as hatchlings need only a few days to leave the nest, but Siitari said it is weird the shells were missing.

Unfortunately, she said, the goose would not have taken her eggs with her if she decided to leave, but Canada geese will rebuild if their nest gets disturbed.

"Likely her mate is around since they mate for life and they may find a quieter area a little more protected,” she said.