Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Canadians

While drinking morning coffee, we just observed in amazement 5 greater Canadian geese crash land into our large pond. For you Northern folks, you probably are thinking, what's the big deal? For my East Texas place, these are a rare sight indeed. They simply crashed out of total migration exhaustion and will not fly now even when approached. I expect they will move on in a day or so.

Being a pond owner has many side benefits beyond just fish and this is truely an awesome sight. It's good to have a pond!

We had around 60 of them hanging around for two weeks before the weather got cold. Watchout, if the geese are there long enough you may not need to fertilize your pond in the spring, you may also want to watch your step if they start hanging around the house.

My folks whose hobby is bird watching would agree, they get more enjoyment out of watching the waterfowl every year than from fishing. I can remember in the late 90's one year in the spring where we had 3000-5000 ducks on the pond every day for 3 weeks. In last 20 years it was the only year that ever happened with those type of numbers of waterfowl.

BTW - Our pond is closed to fishing from ice out until the end of the Spring duck migration.

Congrats!! Its always fun to see them show up on the pond. However since we see them all spring, summer and a good portion of the fall they can cause some major messes. I love them and the ducks as well but you should see the mess they leave the yard in. I have less problems with them than my neighbor does. She started with one pair showing up at her pond and nesting there about 5 years ago. This summer she had up to 400 at any given time on the pond and in her yard. ( It didn't help her that her pond was 30 feet from a corn field and the pond extends to about .25 miles from Lake Ontario ) Let me tell you that her yard in the summer is less grass and more mess from the CG.

With all that being said I hope you enjoy them. They are a regal bird and are nice to have around for a short bit.

ML I consider you lucky you have never gotten them b/f. I hope you kepp that many they are great. Around here once you get 5 you get 20 and they are a major nusiance. They are fun to hunt though if not around suburban areas. BTW I got 10pts off a quiz once it is Canada Geese not Canadian,

You mean this thread isn't about Wood and Rowly?

Ahhh Canada Geese. My East Texas red neck is showing.

Update, they have walked from the large pond clear over to the Kid's fish pond where Deb's fish were stocked. There, they are resting comfortably. Hmmm wonder if there is a correlation to Georgia fish and Canada geese?

Seriously, I've seen them at this place only once before in over thirty years. For me, it is a true blessing to be enjoyed.

ML :

Like George's goats those CG ( Bill's quote " flying toilets" ) can be very aggressive. They love new fall grass and will pick a area clean and leave piles for you to deal with. See the PB link from early this year on 20 geese = 1 cow.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001634

I love birds, but have no use for 'em. Regal krap machines at best. As the 'burbs continue to explode, radiating from Chgo, retention ponds are v common/reqd to mitigate new structure precipitation run-off. They thrive in these things. They get so domesticated that they raise young'uns and even nest in the grassy medians between the parking rows in the malls. It is not unusual to see paved walking trails in some subdivisions virtually coated with mush. They have zero fear of humans and hang out in groups of hundreds.
(I had to come back to this post to edit and add): ML, sorry for the negativity...no offense. I have forgotten the wonder and enjoyment of these birds when they were far and few in between.

Brettski,

No offense taken, at all.

I understand full well what a fowl bird (water turkeys in my case) can do. The Canadas are very rare here and hence, their appearance is just a delight (but I also subscribe to the Ben Franklin addage that fish and visitors stink after three days ).

ML, how is the new propane cannon working?

ML :

Don't stand near those birds when the cannon goes off. They will take off and make a deposit on you quicker than a bass strike.

Sunil,

I know you will find this hard to believe, but I have not seen a single cormorant this year. I spent $270 on the propane canon and it has yet to fire its first shot. It is still in the box, one month after delivery....but that is a good thing.

Guess I can always put it on e-bay...but the winter isn't over yet, and besides it should make the neighbors green with envy on the 4th of July.

This doesn't have much in common with the thread but is a funny story just the same. About fifteen years ago there was a guy who used to feed the Canadian geese at a lake in Rochester Minnesota. The city for the most part hated the birds, lots of crapping, getting in the way of cars etc.. A large flock living year round in this partially heated lake. Some people would park their cars by the lake and feed the birds bread, So after a spell the birds became very tame. A mother and her daughter were feeding the geese one day, when the little girl noticed that a goose that had gone under one of the parked trucks and did not come back out. She told her mother about the bird and the two of them watched a second goose disappear the same way. They explained this to a cop who was driving through the parking lot. When the officer went to investigate the four wheel drive truck, he noticed while talking to the driver, that a large hole had been cut out of the trucks passenger floor board and broken pieces of bread in the seat above. This guy was waving the bread through the hole, and when the poor goose would poke his head up into the truck, the enterprising hunter would grab the neck of the bird, spin it around a few times and throw them behind the seat. They found out later on that this old guy had been doing this for years. Maybe we could find this fella and send him ML's way. :p

ML,

Do you think the record breaking polar front that made it's ways far south had anything to do with their rare appearance? We've seen record lows here for so early along with an 8 inch snowfall in only a few hours yesterday.

BTW got your picture but still waiting for the entry form for the Talapia.

ML, evidently the cannon works. Haven't seen any elephants or wolverines either, have you? Ain't technology wonderful?

It took a couple of years after the first pond was built before a pair of Canada geese showed up. Like Eric, I enjoy their company along with the black, mallard and wood ducks that return every spring. On one occasion, much to my surprise and delight, a bufflehead and merganser stopped by for a visit.

The geese usually arrive in the spring. They spend the day at the pond, returning to the safety of the Hudson River at nighfall. I can tolerate their squeezings in the yard but it does make a mess. At my place, their diet is grass so at least my fish are safe.

ML, enjoy your Christmas gifts from the north but to some of us they can be the Trojan horse equivalent of the cormorant.

Cecil,

Yes I do.

Maybe not the temps so much as the combo of low temps and snow up north...we've had lower temps in the past. These birds were exhausted, completely spent. Looked like they had not eaten for days. Now they are cleaning up on fish food that hasn't been eaten.

The form is on its way via snail mail. Thanks.

Yep ML, I send 2 birds with every 100 fish (plus 1 extra for good measure). Just kidding there. Geese are fascinating creatures, but hopefully they won't take a peck at your GG stock. You had mentioned that they were eating on the uneaten fish food. Are the GG's and HSB feeding right now? I know the change in weather and water temps have confused them, so if your water temps are below 60 degrees you need to cut back pellet feeding to once every two to three days.
Funny story about Geese: A few years back I was in a serious Golf tournament during the Spring. I was on the 15th hole (a par 4) and had landed on the green in two shots. Ever so happy that I was headed for a possible birdie (no pun intended), I squated down to line up my put. At that point I noticed a "white piece of paper" in direct line of my shot. I promptly stood up, walked over, and picked up the "piece of paper" so that it would not effect my shot. Oops, to my dismay it was not paper, but instead a gift from a goose. Needless to say I was rather disgusted and did not make the shot. In fact I believe it took three puts (a bogie) to finish the hole.
Long story short they are fun and beautiful creatures to watch, but be careful where you step or what you pick up.
Keep me updated on the fish!

Deb

My Grandpa always used to say "Never look for your chewing gum in the chicken yard."

Well folks, hopefully the polar cold front is done, or at least toned down for a while. It was 36 F this morning when I awoke. Warmest temp in a good week, I'll bet. I know you southerners think we're cold, but this has been unusual even for us!

To close the chapter on the Canadas, the birds, well rested and fed, took to flight late today heading south. I wish them well and am glad they stopped by.

Deb,

Fish started feeding a little this afternoon...after the birds left.

A nice end to your story ML. It's probably best that they left. I guess that even though Canadians can cause quite a bit of crap, they are generally well liked in the end...except in Rochester of course.

If Wood was trying to be funny, then that was one of the funniest I've seen in a while.

If he wasn't trying to be funny, then he should have been.

This whole thread is the funniest in a while.

Wood they are well liked in Rochester by most people but not those who have to clean up the crap after them. I actually like them -- Mainly because they don't bother my pond!! My neighbor on the other hand is a diff story!! lol

I think we would llike them better if they just stopped by and didn't stay all year. We still have a few flocks that number in the 300 - 500 which stay on the Lake and move in and out of the small ponds and fields all winter up here. They have adapted to this type of climate with the help of people who suppliment their foor witth bread and what not. Ahh well I still think they are lovely and most of Rochester NY does as well, but can't say for Rochester Min.