The down front geese

There are a lot of different animals who call Peaks Island home. Some of them are your typical, run-of-the-mill Mainers: deer, beavers, gulls, and woodpeckers. But there are a few animals that stand out, including the down front geese.

Rumor has it – and the island certainly has a number of BuzzFeed worthy rumors – that the gaggle used to be owned by an islander. After said resident left, their numbers dwindled, and the remaining group wandered off to find a new life. Most of the time they can be spotted down front by Forest City Landing to the delight of tourists and islander kiddos alike, including Quinn. Our two-year-old greets his feathered-friends each morning en route to the ferry with a shy wave and a “Hello, goosey” salutation.

The down front geese maintain many other domesticated friends on-island. Several families here raise chickens and there’s at least two horse owners on Peaks. I haven’t run across any cows on the island, but it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Last night a friend mentioned there’s a cattle ranch on the wee isle of Matinicus, an island up the coast accessible by a 10-minute mail flight or very infrequent (think: monthly) state-run ferry. Us islanders keep things interesting.

With the continuation of the COVID lockdown, Quinn and I have been spending a lot of additional time exploring the island. It’s been nearly 20 days since we left the rock. Because of this, we frequent many of the island’s isolated beaches, including the one the down front geese call home. Yesterday, Q ambled down to the water, and sure enough they were there, pecking at some dried corn that someone had scattered at the tidal line. Who’s feeding these birds? Why do they continue to flock to the island? Moments of mystery like this, keep Peaks a special little place.