This is Myrtle, an Egyptian goose. She lived at the pond near my house. At first, Myrtle had a mate named Miles. He was a very old and soulful goose and he looked out for Myrtle. But then, while Myrtle was sitting on her nest, Miles was killed by a coyote. Myrtle and I were both heartbroken. I started feeding her on the roof of my sunroom because she felt safe there. When she would fly down to the pond in the evening, I would go and stay with her until she swam out to the small island in the middle of the pond. A few days later she accepted that Miles was gone and flew away.
I really missed them both. After a couple of months, I heard honk, honk, honk on my sunroom roof. And there was Myrtle with a new handsome mate who I named Milton. Myrtle and Milton went on to have many babies.
This picture of Myrtle was taken when it was really hot outside and she was trying to cool herself. She is such a special goose.
