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Boulders were blasted on to a Canada goose nest. But fate saved the goslings

Thursday May 17: Sooke resident Vincenz Eberl noticed a Canada goose had built her nest below a construction site. When some boulders rolled down the hill, Eberl thought the eggs were crushed. But he filmed what happened next – May 17, 2018

It’s a tale — a feathered tail — with a happy ending.

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Sooke resident Vincenz Eberl loves filming the wilderness and the animals around his home.

WATCH: Caught on video — Vancouver Island goslings’ miraculous survival

Late last month he noticed a Canada goose nesting on a nearby hill.

But there was one problem. The mother goose had chosen a site right below a construction zone.

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The mother goose sitting on her next in Sooke. Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube. Vincenz Eberl - still from YouTube

And construction crews were blasting to make way for a new development.

As rocks and boulders rolled down the hill, the mother goose was scared away. But the nest survived.

The nest perched on the rocky cliff. Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube. Vincenz Eberl - still from YouTube

But then, a couple of weeks later, a blast sent boulders crashing down the hill and two appeared to land right on top of the nest.

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The mother came back to see what had happened and was clearly trying to see if her babies were OK.

Eberl thought the nest was destroyed.

The rocks on top of the nest. Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube.
The mother goose came back to inspect her nest. Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube.

But a few days later, four furry heads started appearing from under the rocks.

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Every egg survived.

The eggs started to hatch! Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube.
Welcome to the world! The eggs started to hatch! Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube.

With dad nearby, the mother goose led the goslings to the nearby water and Eberl caught them swimming away.

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The goslings in the water with mom and dad. Credit: Vincenz Eberl – still from YouTube.

Eberl doesn’t think the construction crew knew the nest was there to begin with.

According to Environment Canada, nesting pairs tend to use the same location for their nests year after year.

Geese are very adaptable — they choose nesting sites such as marshes, islands, cliffs and trees.

READ MORE: Battle between a bald eagle and a Canada goose caught on camera

The average nest contains five or six eggs.

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Watch Eberl’s full video below:

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