VIDEO: Fauntleroy’s goose family, seen before tragedy struck

(UPDATED SUNDAY with commenters’ reports that, sometime after this was recorded, two of the goslings were hit and killed)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:37 PM: This family of five is popular. We keep getting photos and texts about sightings of the Fauntleroy white geese and their goslings, and it’s clear they are roaming on both sides of Fauntleroy Way in the ferry dock/Lincoln Park area, so we renew the alert: Please be careful in the area. Last weekend we shared a reader’s photo-story about people helping them cross the busy road, and tonight, this video came in from another reader. Sorry to say, some of what we’ve heard about hasn’t been anywhere near heartwarming – reports of a woman kicking one of them at the Cove Park beach, and of an unleashed dog going after them – note they’re fairly slow-moving, and be their angel if you see them in danger (as others have been over the years).

ADDED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: After we published this video – recorded Saturday morning, sent to us Saturday night – commenters said they’d seen only one gosling with the geese later in the day. Now another commenter reports two of them were hit and killed. If anyone can tell us more about what happened, please e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you.

LATER SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Another commenter has posted more information.

30 Replies to "VIDEO: Fauntleroy's goose family, seen before tragedy struck"

  • miws July 2, 2016 (10:01 pm)

    They look to be  a little wary of the paparazzi. ;-) 

    Mike

    • wssz July 2, 2016 (10:53 pm)

      What a great clip! That’s quite the parade of  Greylag geese — I think. Any idea where this took place?  

  • WSobserver July 2, 2016 (10:10 pm)

    Although I would treat these geese well and look out for them, it should be mentioned that common domestic geese like this *will* become aggressive if they think their babies are endangered; they will honk and hiss and chase and bite. Of course most of it is all for show but it might frighten some people.

    Very cute little family.

  • @MattGilblezy July 2, 2016 (10:42 pm)

    What would it take to get some Goose crossing signs?  30 years ago we lost Goose over the pacific and I cannot stand the thought of losing these geese.  Save our #WestSeattleMascots!

  • dsa July 2, 2016 (11:16 pm)

    Cool video at ferry terminal, thank you.

  • dhg July 3, 2016 (12:32 am)

    I’d like to see them removed to a safer place for them.  I know this goes against no fewer than 3 animal psychics who have said the geese prefer to stay where they are but the psychics failed to explain geese often change their minds about things depending on the time of day or the weather or the traffic or the dogs.

  • Sgs July 3, 2016 (1:17 am)

    Now I’m worried.  Don’t know what time this video was taken, but when I arrived for the 10:55 am ferry to Vashon, there was only one baby with the two geese.  A lady was luring them away from the road back toward the beach for safety with bread.  Hope this video was taken after that time.  

    • WSB July 3, 2016 (1:30 am)

      It was sent to us Saturday night but the sender said it was recorded Saturday morning.

  • JanS July 3, 2016 (1:27 am)

    a woman was seen kicking one of them? Is she daft? Why in the world would anyone even think of doing that? Just leave them alone…they are not pets…they are naturally occurring in their natural habitat.I guess I just don’t understand the thinking behind something like that.  And there is simply no excuse for someone allowing their dog to chase them. Shame, shame, shame.

    Great video…adorable family.  Please be cautious around them…especially drivers, if they are on the road.

  • Sgs July 3, 2016 (9:04 am)

    Sunday morning 9 am, I see only one baby.  Anyone know anything about the other two?

  • Michelle July 3, 2016 (10:09 am)

    Now,  I’m worried!! We love the them. I hope all the babies are safe. If someone knows something current.  Please post an update regarding all 3 babies.

  • luvallanimals July 3, 2016 (11:52 am)

    OH NO this is terrible if the other 2 babies are…gone! I am so saddened by this and yes like Michelle asked please someone update if the other 2 show up.

    This is what I hate about “social media” …info like this is out of site out of mind I’d rather not even know about these babies and now 2 may be gone,or should I say its a luv hate relationship? 

  • Setm July 3, 2016 (12:02 pm)

    Sadly, 2 of the 3 babies were struck & killed by a passing driver on Saturday.

    • WSB July 3, 2016 (12:55 pm)

      That’s terrible news. Do you know, was Seattle Animal Shelter and/or police notified? I just checked Tweets by Beat and don’t see any animal or collision calls in the area, though the Twitter log certainly isn’t all-encompassing. SAS would at least usually be called to pick up deceased animals …

  • KD July 3, 2016 (1:50 pm)

    Evil dumbazz so called ‘humans.’ Very easily could’ve been prevented. At least the little one that passed away won’t have to live through the terror of ‘humans’ fireworks noise the next two days. Hope the vehicle than ran over them are proud of themselves. Another notch.

  • waikikigirl July 3, 2016 (3:33 pm)

    This is so sad…RIP little babies.

  • maxwell4504 July 3, 2016 (3:36 pm)

    I sent a message yesterday AM but it must not have been received on your end. 

    Yesterday AM, a driver hit the two babies crossing the street but kept on going.  A good Samaritan witnessed the event, stopped and helped remove the one deceased baby while ushering the rest of the family to the sidewalk just a few houses up from the entrance to Cove Park.  My neighbor took the second baby to the Lien clinic but the bird was to badly injured to be saved.  The rest of the family were moved into the park and away from the street. 

    • WSB July 3, 2016 (3:52 pm)

      Maxwell, thanks, we get messages every day and night in half a dozen channels but did not get yours; I wouldn’t have published this video last night as a cheery “hey look at this” if we’d had already heard what happened – we would have written a news story instead. I was worried too since that is too busy a street even for humans to cross – years ago, my then-very young son and I were waiting to cross right at about that same spot, when a southbound car that stopped for us was rear-ended by somebody not paying attention. If we had stepped into the street as soon as they stopped, we would have been hit (as the rear-ender’s car pushed the other car some distance forward). I had hoped that at least publishing another story about the geese continuing to cross the street in the area would increase awareness … not knowing it was already too late. – TR

  • Sgs July 3, 2016 (3:37 pm)

    My heart hurts. Surviving that busy 3 way intersection would have been near impossible.  Assuming this was malicious even makes me more sick.  Would like to hear how the commenter thinks this could have been prevented so something can be done to protect the remaining chick.

  • maxwell4504 July 3, 2016 (4:16 pm)

    I’m not sure how this could have been prevented.  Normally the geese stay on Lincoln Park beach but I suspect they moved further down the beach to keep their young away from all the human and dog traffic at that end of the park.  The geese need to roam some to find all the food they need.

    Personally, I’d like SDOT to put a curb to curb speed bump down near the ferry dock to slow traffic down in this area.    I have lived on this end of the park for 30+ years and speeding drivers have gotten far worse.  I’ve clocked them at 45+ miles a hour by the time they get off the ferry and reach the first parking lot.   Drivers racing to the dock pay no attention to residents etc.    The Fauntleroy Community Association works very hard to address these issues and community support for their efforts is appreciated.  

  • miws July 3, 2016 (4:31 pm)

    :-( 

  • Bonnie July 3, 2016 (5:48 pm)

    How could somebody hit them and not stop?  This makes me sad.  

  • Cheryl July 3, 2016 (7:28 pm)

    I am so sad to hear all of this.  Please report ANY animal abuse you see, it is only the caring humans that will be able to help out any animals.  They need all the help they can get.  So sad to hear about all the people who are abusive and won’t even stop when they kill a living creature.  Thanks to the person who helped with the two baby geese…..my heart hurts, these geese have been around a long time and deserve to be treated will

  • Marianne July 3, 2016 (7:36 pm)

    What sad news.  While it was sweet to see the goose family being shepherded across the street by kind people, like SGS, the geese really don’t stand a chance crossing the street, and so slowly.  While there are many, many good-hearted people in the world, the way people drive these days, aggressively and inattentively, the off-leash dogs, and the mean people (kicking a goose) at the park, I am also not surprised this happened.  My question also, is what can we do to help the two adult geese and the surviving gosling?  A huge thank you to the person who picked up the dead and injured goslings and got the rest of the family across the street.

  • Sgs July 3, 2016 (8:17 pm)

    Marianne, just a note, I did not shepherd them anywhere , just saw them while I was in the ferry line.  Someone else was leading them back to the beach.  I agree it is not the place for them.

  • Mr.B July 3, 2016 (10:01 pm)

    Sickening… we saw the parents and duckling this morning while in line for the Ferry.  I have been witness to aggressive road rage driving in West Seattle this week.  And not who’d you expect… I was cut off by an angry middle-aged woman in a Prius on Fauntleroy two days ago.  This is unacceptable behavior by people who feel they are above the law and all sense of decency.  This is the height of selfishness.  

  • Kravitz July 4, 2016 (6:18 am)

    Please people, take two damn extra seconds out of your important “me first” day, slow down, and give a rip about your community – wildlife included. Reading many of the above comments about the crappy actions of a few entitled, selfish people just hurts my heart. We can do better than this.

    Thank you to the folks who cared enough to assist the geese, and to take the injured baby to Lien. You are the best of the community.

  • Serafina July 5, 2016 (9:22 am)

    I live right off Fauntleroy and the aggressiveness of drivers is unbelievable.  People are constantly speeding and passing other cars and driving recklessly without a care to anyone.  To think that anyone would harm these beautiful animals, sickens me.  I am heartbroken, I saw them two days ago with the baby.  West Seattle in my experience is not a wonderful close knit community people think it is, but rather a community of selfish, self-serving people.  It is a shame. 

  • Jort July 5, 2016 (12:36 pm)

    While getting ready to board the ferry on Saturday morning at 7:40 or so, we saw a VW Vanagon stopped in the road, and a man carrying a dead goose off to the side. The remaining members of the family were absolutely distraught. The man looked visibly upset.

    It is a good reminder that we are all people driving vehicles that have the power to easily kill, be it a baby goose, a child chasing a ball, or a woman on her bicycle. Please be careful and realize that you have a responsibility to make sure every person on the road is safe, as you’re the only one with the power to kill. No road user’s trip — or life — is more or less important than any other’s. 

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