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PostPosted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:57 pm 
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Here in Fresno there are many "ponding basins" that catch rain run off (on rare occasion that it rains) to recharge the ground water supply by letting the water perculate and purify back down. They can also flood them from nearby lakes.

Canadian geese have taken up residence in some of them. This particular basin in on my way home from the shop. I noticed many young geese, too young to fly with their downy feathers. The past monty, I have been feeding them bread from a local outlet store that throws away bread they can't sell.

The young ones will take the bread from my hand, the older ones won't get too close. Every evening on the way home I stop...honk my horn...they come running, swimming and flying in for a hand out.

My new friends...

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Bob


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:31 pm 
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Be careful! :wink: Geese can and do BITE. :shock:
Besides, I have found that feeding wild animals by hand is not really a good idea at times. They become used to people feeding them and expect a handout from anyone, even hunters.
I love to watch any wild anamals where ever they are, (especially birds, I do have feeders for them) but, the guy across the street found out that feeding the squirrels did not do any good for his attic in his house.
And as we all know, the black bears in the national parks are very cute but, if you don't give them what they want.....THEY TAKE IT!!! :shock:

Rog

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:10 pm 
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A few years back some of the buildings at work had man made ponds in front of them, used them for cooling buildings. We had geese around them almost all the time. We used to go over to the ponds in our fire trucks and feed them crackers on the week ends.

It got too bad, we would go over there on a call (emergency) and would have to dodge the geese. When ever they saw a fire truck they would flock toward it.

Bill

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:22 am 
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Geese are known for chronic diarrhea, which can make a park or a pond pretty nasty. Keeping them around humans has a number of bad aspects beyond the health concerns. You ought to see what they can do to a jet engine.


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:24 am 
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Yea they are cute now..... but just wait they will soon become major pest. They will nest in the bushes by peoples homes, then they will fight you trying to protect thier nest by not letting you out of your car in and out of your home. and the babys will nest where they are born. in a few years you will be over run with them, and they will leave their droppings EVERYWHERE! It becomes quite nasty. Here in the midwest they have become a real problem.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:17 am 
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The Boeing factory in Everett, WA was a wildlife refuge for geese, and you really had to watch your step when walking around outside, and sometimes inside, the office buildings. Many buildings had motion detector doors, and the geese had figured out that they worked for them as well as people. It got pretty ugly sometimes. :shock:

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:45 am 
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Well... one mans pest is another man's friend... I think they're awfully fine looking birds and I'm sure they help maintain your spirits after a long day. Thanks for sharing the story. Of course this is easy for me to say as we have no geese here in Tucson and therefore have no goose-sized problems...

Lawrence


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:54 am 
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Lawrence wrote:
Well... one mans pest is another man's friend... I think they're awfully fine looking birds and I'm sure they help maintain your spirits after a long day. Thanks for sharing the story. Of course this is easy for me to say as we have no geese here in Tucson and therefore have no goose-sized problems...

Lawrence


Yep they are handsome...tasty also. :-D

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:01 am 
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Gene wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
Well... one mans pest is another man's friend... I think they're awfully fine looking birds and I'm sure they help maintain your spirits after a long day. Thanks for sharing the story. Of course this is easy for me to say as we have no geese here in Tucson and therefore have no goose-sized problems...

Lawrence


Yep they are handsome...tasty also. :-D


Yes they are... lovely crispy skin, roasted goose

Lawrence


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:31 pm 
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Lawrence wrote:
Well... one mans pest is another man's friend... I think they're awfully fine looking birds and I'm sure they help maintain your spirits after a long day. Thanks for sharing the story. Of course this is easy for me to say as we have no geese here in Tucson and therefore have no goose-sized problems...

Lawrence


When I lived in Tucson back in the 70s, it wasn't the geese...it was the "SNOW BIRDS" that flocked into town for the winter!!

True, as has been said...probably feeding the geese and ducks is not the best thing to do...but I like to watch 'em....ever see a goose smile??? (I think I did).


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:15 pm 
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Gene wrote:
Lawrence wrote:
Well... one mans pest is another man's friend... I think they're awfully fine looking birds and I'm sure they help maintain your spirits after a long day. Thanks for sharing the story. Of course this is easy for me to say as we have no geese here in Tucson and therefore have no goose-sized problems...

Lawrence


Yep they are handsome...tasty also. :-D



I heard geese are nasty tasting this comes from canucks too

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:56 pm 
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Up here they're borderline pests. Be careful around mature geese; not only do they bite, but they also whack you with their wings. It's like being hit with a stick!


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:22 am 
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Hey Bob,

One thing to consider is how much of the geese's diet is bread. Over consumption of highly glycemic carbohydrates (from bread) can lead to a pathological condition known as "fatty liver" (think 'foi gras). You may not be doing your new friends as much of a favor as you hoped.

Oh, and as far as goose pollution goes, it's a ubiquitous problem. Here in Seattle, there's one wag that has put it to music.

It's just a Little goose poop (It's got the people uptight) - Sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' Little Duece Coupe

What's a little goose poop . . . Ya don't know what ya got

Please stop complainin' an' puttin' us down
We were here long before this town was around
Think yourself lucky when we drop by
We do it on the ground and not in your eye

What's a little goose poop...Ya don't know what ya got

We've lived a long time at this lake
And we've had about as much as we can take
'Cause a lot of you got a bad attitude
You think ya own the place an your downright rude

What's a little goose poop . . . Ya don't know what ya got

We don't ask for much got our feet on the floor
We just wanna be . . . your goose next door
In a safe place to raise a family
But when we make a mess mind ya don't slip Daddy

Keep your cool an don't ya be mean
'Cause we're the coolest birds that you ever seen
When we honk to land get out of our way
And if you watch your step you'll be OK

What's a little goose poop . . . Ya don't know what ya got

:D
Tom

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:15 pm 
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Thanks Tom...cool song!

Animals do (or do do) as they please...gotta love 'em!! Even my back yard has an obsticle coarse to be warey of!!

Bob


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:54 pm 
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I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and always loved to hear the geese fly in during the Fall. One one side of the house was a field (full of goose food) and on the other side of the house was the Bay (where they hung out to digest).

It was a majestic sight that I really missed after moving away from Maryland.

However, at some point I moved to NC and discovered that the geese discovered the golf courses and other landscaped areas. All of a sudden, a migratory bird became non-migratory.

A majestic wild bird had transformed into a semi-domestic pest that hissed at anyone who would walk by. :(:(:(

I'm proud to say that I was the cause of a company-wide email asking employees not to harm "our charming geese." :D:D:D (I had feathers on the bumper, but couldn't seal the deal)


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:59 pm 
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Hey Rockfish,

Around here, they employ a less direct method of control. They go to nests that are in inappropriate places and spray the eggs with a liquid wax. Once the eggs are sealed they suffocate, and presumably the parents will look for a better place next time.

Tom

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:52 pm 
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tms wrote:
Hey Rockfish,

Around here, they employ a less direct method of control. They go to nests that are in inappropriate places and spray the eggs with a liquid wax. Once the eggs are sealed they suffocate, and presumably the parents will look for a better place next time.

Tom


Hey Tom,

Interesting method. I could certainly see that working. One aspect of my more "violent" approach is you only have to kill 1 and then leave the carcass laying around. One carcass does wonders for keeping the others away.

Part of the balance that was achieved on the Chesapeake Bay was geese viewed humans as evil beings that only wanted to shoot them and then have their furry subservient beast fetch them.

They didn't have any natural predators on the golf courses and landscaped areas. It is always bad to have a situation where a species exists without a natural predator. I think the folks in FL will attest to that in regards to pythons.

Rock


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 6:07 pm 
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Where that goose is makes a big diffrence. I enjoy hearing them fly over, I like seeing them in a harvested grain field. Spent fair amount of time watching them while fishing. But when that goose loses it's fear of man then I think Rock has a pretty good idea. An adult goose can & sometimes will injure a child. Jack

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:09 am 
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I did the unbelievable. I goosed a Pastor. Yep he turned around lifted his coat.

So I pinched him, how was I to know, he wanted me to see if the lapel mike was turned on?

Which one of you would have done same? :D

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:50 am 
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Mango wrote:
I did the unbelievable. I goosed a Pastor. Yep he turned around lifted his coat.

So I pinched him, how was I to know, he wanted me to see if the lapel mike was turned on?

Which one of you would have done same? :D


I bet he will keep a close eye on you from now on .....


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