'What a gift!': Canada goose nests in 9th floor tomato planter

It was a grey morning at the end ofMarch whenOlgaGuzmanrealized she had more than tomatoes in hertomato planter.

A Canada Goose had taken up residence in theblue Rubbermaid container Guzman uses to grow tomatoes on herninth-floor apartment balcony downtown.

At first, the thought the goose was the only one there. But when she went outside to do some sweeping,shespotted something else.

I love wildlife, and I wasn't going to hurt the bird, or chase her away.- Olga Guzman

"That's when I discovered...eggs," Guzman said. Seven eggs, to be exact.

"What a gift!That was amazing.I never had been visited by a goose ever in my life."

Guzmandubbed the mother goose 'Carmen'after the famous opera, and excitedly called all her friends.She was put in contact with fish and wildlife officers, who told her the bird is protected under federal law.

She was told to expect a 25 to 28-day incubation period, and not to touch the eggs or feed the goose.

No problem, she said.

"I respected all that. I love wildlife, and I wasn't going to hurt the bird, or chase her away," Guzman said."She is staying with me."

Guzmanhas been keeping a close eye on Carmen ever since. The goose flies away every so often to get food and meet up with her "partner," another goose Guzman has named 'Carmello.'

One day she noticed the bird was sitting differently in the planter and had seven little goslings were tucked under her wing.

"All of a sudden she got up a little bit, and one little thing I saw wiggling there," Guzman said."I was so happy. I'm so ecstatic. She's so proud."

Guzmancalled fish and wildlife officers, who planned to come and safely remove the little avian family on Wednesday.

They also told her Carmen would likely return next year somethingGuzman is already looking forward to, although she said her landlord probably wouldn't be too keen on the seasonal visitor.

Guzman said she's going to miss the little family on her balcony. She said she took a gander at andtalked to Carmen every day, and isn't quite sure why the goose chose to turn her planter into its nursery.

"I'm very, very happy and blessed that Carmen came and chose my balcony. My queen, thequeen on my balcony," Guzman said.

"I don't want her to go away, because she became my most trusted, my most confidante friend. I get to tell her my deepest secrets. She's going to fly away with my most deepest secrets."