Geese have been goosed
We have been visiting a local nature spot - it's not a natural wonder or anything like that, just one of those business park ponds. But it's really quite nice and a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle, and loaded with wildlife - not far from home either. (This is in the Fair Lakes area for those that are local). With spring having arrived, the geese were doing their nesting and laying and gosling thing. I look forward to this every year, and in fact last year had been walking down the path and had a handful of the cutest, fuzziest gozlings go zooming between and over my feet, chirping up at me in the way fuzzy cute things can do. So, you can see that I'm an absolute mush-pot when it comes to the animals. There is also a family of blue herons (I saw one of the babies last Friday!), tons of song birds, an otter, a beaver, and the pond is stocked to the brim with lots of fish - including some massive "decorative" carp.
I had noticed the past few times I was there, that it was strangely quiet - and that the female goose who had been laying on her nest for a (really) long time, was even absent.
To my horror, I found out that the owner of all the buildings/land around there had purchased the services of the:
Geese Police
(http://www.geesepoliceinc.com/index.html)
While they have "approval" of PETA and other animal activist groups, and their methods seem very humane, I still feel pretty angry at what was done.
They were ultimately trying to get the geese to move down to an adjoining pond - as well as lowering the numbers. They do this by bringing in their trained border collies to herd the birds into the water. Then the humans get in kayaks and continue the rounding up and herding them where they want them to go (ok, this makes me want to laugh - I'm sure it's an amusing sight). While I can appreciate this non-harmful way to get them out of there, I really miss them and felt affronted that my personal entertaimment was gone. I think what really bothered me was how they are lowering the population. I had been watching a pair who had been nesting in a particular spot, for weeks. I bring my binoculars and see how the nest looks and what's going on. This past Friday I was really happy about getting there because I knew that those eggs *had* to have hatched by now.
The place was *very* quiet. Except for the songbirds and the splash of the fountain - none of the usual family-type honking or cheeping from the geese. From what I have learned, that particular nest, and several others we could not see, had been "oiled". They get to the nest while the parents are gone and cover the eggs in oil to prevent them from hatching. This way, they are not directly "killing" the babies and leaving the parents coming back to a ruined nest. The birds will continue to sit on the eggs for a period of time - mother nature telling them when it's a lost cause. This also keeps the female from going back into cycle because by the time they realize the eggs won't hatch, it's too late in the season for another clutch. (if a nest is violated, the female will go back into cycle to lay another set - and they don't want them doing this).
I can understand the reasoning behind things like this - I just feel like a really neat thing was yanked away from me. I had been going to this particular place more than others I used to go to, because it had the best gathering of goslings. I will hopefully find that other pond they sent them too next year so I don't miss out. Meanwhile, I will still enjoy the remaing wildlife that has kept me so entertained and relaxed.
I had noticed the past few times I was there, that it was strangely quiet - and that the female goose who had been laying on her nest for a (really) long time, was even absent.
To my horror, I found out that the owner of all the buildings/land around there had purchased the services of the:
Geese Police
(http://www.geesepoliceinc.com/index.html)
While they have "approval" of PETA and other animal activist groups, and their methods seem very humane, I still feel pretty angry at what was done.
They were ultimately trying to get the geese to move down to an adjoining pond - as well as lowering the numbers. They do this by bringing in their trained border collies to herd the birds into the water. Then the humans get in kayaks and continue the rounding up and herding them where they want them to go (ok, this makes me want to laugh - I'm sure it's an amusing sight). While I can appreciate this non-harmful way to get them out of there, I really miss them and felt affronted that my personal entertaimment was gone. I think what really bothered me was how they are lowering the population. I had been watching a pair who had been nesting in a particular spot, for weeks. I bring my binoculars and see how the nest looks and what's going on. This past Friday I was really happy about getting there because I knew that those eggs *had* to have hatched by now.
The place was *very* quiet. Except for the songbirds and the splash of the fountain - none of the usual family-type honking or cheeping from the geese. From what I have learned, that particular nest, and several others we could not see, had been "oiled". They get to the nest while the parents are gone and cover the eggs in oil to prevent them from hatching. This way, they are not directly "killing" the babies and leaving the parents coming back to a ruined nest. The birds will continue to sit on the eggs for a period of time - mother nature telling them when it's a lost cause. This also keeps the female from going back into cycle because by the time they realize the eggs won't hatch, it's too late in the season for another clutch. (if a nest is violated, the female will go back into cycle to lay another set - and they don't want them doing this).
I can understand the reasoning behind things like this - I just feel like a really neat thing was yanked away from me. I had been going to this particular place more than others I used to go to, because it had the best gathering of goslings. I will hopefully find that other pond they sent them too next year so I don't miss out. Meanwhile, I will still enjoy the remaing wildlife that has kept me so entertained and relaxed.