Traffic on the two westbound lanes of the Ottawa River Parkway stopped to allow a couple of Canada geese to cross in a majestic and unhurried manner to the grassed median. It’s a common thing in the summer here and it does seem to be accepted that geese have the right of way (never, knock on wood, seen a dead one on the road), especially when they’re herding the goslings across.

No other birds put me so much in mind of their distant departed flightless cousins so much as do geese with their heads held high and their air of assurance.