Goose Count

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

DitmasDeb writes on the Prospect Park Days blog:

…And there are more geese! We saw Ed and Anne, who count them scrupulously. There are now 28 of them. Four escaped the extermination, and the rest have flown in to the beautiful, empty lake that they saw from above. I wonder how fast the population will grow. The Dept. of Agriculture claims that they have done all the killing for the year. What a peculiar statement to make! Also, I think they are doing some thinking – after all the publicity about the secret extermination, the fact that they killed resident geese, not migratory ones, and the possibility of other methods of geese control.

- Ben

Tags: birds, Prospect Park
See All: Animals

J

Just saying this doesn’t make it true… “the fact that they killed resident geese, not migratory ones”
john

To J

If you visited the park(more than once) you would realise
how wrong you are. The PP Geese were resident year around.
I can provide pictures documenting this. Or you could actually
read the blog.
Please try to do at least minimal checking before you sound off.
Should you wish to meet I will be glad to provide ample documentation. Fair warning, I will have a camera!
Goose neck

If you see the geese, dont feed them….or they will stay and reproduce like crazy….
New on the Menu

Is it true that Picket Fence is serving foie gras made of the liver of a goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage (force-feeding) bread at Prospect Park.
J

john —
There’s a difference between a “resident species” and a migratory species that has been domesticated by the people of Prospect Park. Herein lies the the problem.

If you think the virtual domestication of the Canada Goose is a positive thing… well, that’s also a problem.
J

Also — I find it interesting that, I’d hazard a guess, 99% of you have no problem with the dozens of rat poison traps in and around the park. Shouldn’t rats live in peace and harmony too?

In addition to aviation safety, geese carry diseases, including swimmer’s itch, histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, and giardia. If you have 100+ Canada Geese calling Prospect Park home… then you have a filthy pond and the surrounding land (where children play and families picnic) literally covered with a layer of green excrement.
Nicole

You’re totally right, J. Why care about anything when it just leaves you open to accusations of hypocrisy on the internet. Every time I take a step, I’m murdering god knows how many microbes. Where can I possibly get off caring about the mass gassing of the geese I used to go visit in the park. Since ethical lines re: human/animal engagement are not completely clear cut and black and white, its much better to just forsake empathy and spout cliches in neighborhood blog comments.

We must have been visiting different Prospect Parks. I managed to get around without becoming coated in toxic geese sludge.
Jamie

I’m sorry to hear about the geese returning. Before this aggressive invasive species overran the place, there was a nice variety of waterfowl on the lake. With the arrival of the geese, only a few mallards were able to hang on.

Now that the geese have been culled, I’ve noticed a black-crowned night heron on the lake. I bet he doesn’t stick around long once the geese repopulate.
J

Nicole — Did you even read either of my posts? What cliches am I spouting?!

As Jamie just said, this is NOT a local species and they are invasive and harmful to the local species. They are supposed to migrate, not live here. WE, the humans, have caused them to stay here… they have become domesticated. They should be further north this time of year and further south in the colder months.

My point — that you decided to ignore — was that the Canada Geese have become a *pest* in this context. The brown rat isn’t a problem in any OTHER context either… just in this one. Both species are overrunning a habitat that is not their natural one.

I do have to say, though. It was impressive that you were able to maintain the snarky, sarcastic, dismissive tone throughout the entirety of your comment.
john

To J

I’m not sure what your point is about the geese “species”.
Both the migratory and non-migratory geese are the same
species see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Goose
(not saying your argument is specious! (sorry about that))

I have seen some interesting scholarly work on the two
“cultures” of canada geese.

I agree with you that the wild life in PP need to be managed
and would like this discussion to turn to what is the best
number of geese in the park, also raccoons rabbits and even
rats!
Coney Island

Think of the geese like the rabbits of coney island…
did you know that coney means rabbit? because coney island used to be overrun by millions of rabbits…guess how they got rid of them? Hunting and eating them by the thousands…go cry about that…you bleeding hearts!
J

John — That’s the thing… my point was that they are *naturally migratory* (i.e., they are NOT a non-migratory/resident species) but will establish themselves as non-migratory if they don’t have predators and a provided food.

They are also an aggressive, dominant species will take over and prevent other migratory species from visiting (the duck example is a good one).
J

And don’t get me wrong — if there’s a non-lethal way to make the geese *move on* I’m all for it. But the key is that they MUST move on. Maybe shooting at them with BB guns until they realize it’s not a very pleasant place to hang out. Prospect Park needs to be a pit stop in their migration, not their home.
Wes Minister

The point is not if the Geese, Rats, Rabbits, Raccoon population should be controlled. And yes the park is a happier healthier place with a manageable number of all of the wildlife.
The point is that they should not be rounded up in the middle of the night and Gassed!!
Deb from Ditmas

If you go to youtube and search “Making Peace with Geese” you;ll see an 8 minute video about how Seattle is dealing with the geese problem humanely.
Deb from Ditmas

And I love that there’s conversation about the geese issue. Where there’s conversation, people are starting to think about the issue.
J

Deb – the youtube video wouldn’t load on my work computer. Can I assume the humane solution in Seattle isn’t along the lines of my BB gun solution?
Deb from Ditmas

lol
Rats=Geese?

here is a video of lots of rats in downtown Man. Would you like to compare it to geese? Yes…same problem…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhK9wWJTRkA
Geese are Nazis

I have seen several geese wearing armbands and doing the goose step. They are secretly practicing Nazi training and planing to take over Prospect Park. We must stop them and end this ASAP
Deb from Ditmas

Comparing rats to geese is kind of ridiculous. Check today’s blog entry for some facts. And to Geese are Nazis: I want photos!!
Geese are Nazis

Video of Nazi Goose…with German Helmet…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ1KRPjsbTo
DitmasResident

Wes Minster:

Recorded communication on the night in question was leaked. Below is a portion of the transcript.

************
Time: 02:30 hrs
Location: Kings County – Geese Territory
Date: (CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET!)

“Tonight is the night, lock and load. On my count, move out. GO, GO, GO!”

“Stop and lay low, two people are lake side, we don’t want observers. We have special orders, this mission can not be posted on the DP blog.”

“If those people don’t leave w/in 10 minutes they will have to be part of the casualties. Remember, we have a small window of time.”

“The two have proceed south west, this is our break.”

“Hello Mr. and Ms. Goose, we have a surprise, compliments of the FAA. This special gas is a new invention, it will give you more energy to cover the entire lake when the meaningful humans provide bread.”

“There is one condition, in order for the special gas to work, all of the Geese must inhale it together!”

“Okay, is everyone ready? Wait, I see three baby Geese at three o’clock, here they come. Welcome baby Geese, you are very fortunate to join the rest of your Geese family and friends.”

“Here is the special gas, on the count of three everyone inhale!”

“Lt., mission complete. Send in the clean up team. We’re moving out.”

Time: 03:00 hrs.

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