Mother goose and her babies on their way to Peterson Creek Park after escaping the hospital roof (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

BABY GOSLINGS

Goslings nesting at RIH hatch, make dramatic journey off labour and delivery rooftop

May 2, 2022 | 3:29 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s the noon hour at Royal Inland Hospital, and there are some curious eyes checking out the Canada Goose whose three goslings have just hatched.

Now, it’s a matter of getting them off the roof. After the first two fell off, the third walked the edge of the roof and also took a tumble.

“This morning, the Mother Goose got her three goslings to the edge of the roof and they listened to her very well and came down,” said labour and delivery nurse Dara Johnson, who’s been caring for the trio from afar since the end of March. “It was quite dramatic. unfortunately, they landed just inside of this little enclosure.”

With the pair trapped, the mom is frantically trying to find a way to get to them, as the third huddles against the curb on its own.

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Eventually, the maintenance crew at the hospital reunited the little one with its new family.

“All three are doing well. They’re with their mom, so they’re quite calm. They’re cuddled in here and they almost made it onto the street where they would’ve been off to the river,” said Johnson.

Mother goose and her goslings after they fell from the labour and delivery rooftop (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

Instead, the maintenance crew used blankets to corral the mom and goslings into a box and got them into the open.

“It was fun, kind of scary because you never know, they can turn on you, so always got to be one step ahead of them,” said Glen Lomond, who’s part of the maintenance team at RIH.

The family waddled their way past the parkade and the new patient care tower, and eventually the mom led her babies under the fence — on their way to Peterson Creek Park — a short stroll from the hospital.

“It was different. Never wrangled geese before — little babies — taking them to safety,” said Lomond. “Hopefully mom will take the course and take them where they have to go.”

A two-month journey that started on the roof outside the maternity ward and has ended with a safe exit from the hospital to where they’re supposed to be — nature.