Mother goose nesting on eggs at Sullivan’s Pond in Dartmouth, N.S.

A goose is sitting on a lot of eggs on an island in Sullivan's Pond in Dartmouth, N.S.

The geese at Sullivan’s Pond continue to captivate the residents of Dartmouth, N.S.

This spring all eyes are one of the six geese, who’s been nesting on the pond’s southern island since April.

Experts at Hope for Wildlife, a non-profit in Seaforth, N.S., that houses the geese during the winter, confirmed the goose is sitting on a lot of eggs.

It’s a perfect symbol for the second weekend in May. Saturday was World Migratory Bird Day – just before Mother’s Day Sunday.

Hope Swinimer at Hope for Wildlife said this happens every year.

“We won’t know if the eggs are fertile for a little while,” she said in an email to CTV News. “Maybe—with the new goose added to the flock this winter—we’ll be lucky enough to see babies this time.”

Swinimer said after about a month, her colleagues will check the nest and remove any eggs that aren’t developing.

“Fingers crossed she’ll become a mom!” Swinimer said.

The residents around Sullivan’s Pond watch for the geese to return in the spring. Some have a contentious relationship with the birds, who have gained a reputation as bullies after attacking some locals, but Swinimer said they are a part of the local culture that offers a rare, visible connection to nature.

“They spark curiosity, care, and conversation among people of all ages,” she said. “They’ve become a symbol of seasonal change, a subject of local debate, and a reminder that even simple interactions with animals can connect us more deeply to the natural world—and to one another.”

The Sullivan’s Pond geese are domestic. They spend their winters with Hope for Wildlife instead of migrating. They are returned to the pond every spring.

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