When Geese attack!! What to do

[nbfiresprite]

[Man 'o Kent]

To a goose a signal of dominance is a low extended head and neck posture. The lower the more dominant,. If threatened a human can extend an arm low to the ground fingers extended, little finger and thumb tucked underneath. A purposeful advance with some hissing for effect will usually convince the bird that it has better things to do elsewhere.


Remember, birds are fragile, hollow bones, it is nearly all bluster, handbags a dawn stuff, the risk of real injury is too great to risk a real stand up fight. Of course as with humans there is always the odd psycho . . .

 

]

 

[ditchcrawler]

I think its a joke

[StephenA]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think its a joke

 

But do you think that because your friends told you?

 

[ditchcrawler]

4 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

But do you think that because your friends told you?

 

After watching the voting of the Eurovision I worked it out for my self ? 

[Jerra]

Clearly the first post is intended to amuse.  However geese do seem to worry some people.   We used to have a gander which was kept in a large "pen" (along with the females) with the greenhouse at the other end.   He always used to rush up threatening an attack and once pecked me.  So I grabbed him by the neck just behind the head.  He was then forced to walk along with us to the greenhouse before I let go.

 

He never came near me again.

[StephenA]

Just now, Jerra said:

Clearly the first post is intended to amuse.  However geese do seem to worry some people.   We used to have a gander which was kept in a large "pen" (along with the females) with the greenhouse at the other end.   He always used to rush up threatening an attack and once pecked me.  So I grabbed him by the neck just behind the head.  He was then forced to walk along with us to the greenhouse before I let go.

 

He never came near me again.

 

Crooke Farm, where we used to moor Mintball, had guard geese. They were, to quote my mother, all mouth and no trousers.

 

 

[Jerra]

7 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

Crooke Farm, where we used to moor Mintball, had guard geese. They were, to quote my mother, all mouth and no trousers.

 

 

They do provide an extremely good "early warning system" but perhaps not with the deterrent a nice big dog has.

[StephenA]

2 minutes ago, Jerra said:

They do provide an extremely good "early warning system" but perhaps not with the deterrent a nice big dog has.

 

Oh he had one of those too but it was a great big softie.

[Mad Harold]

There was a rather agressive swan around Elland Bridge on the C+H.Had two brushes with him,one when he chased a narrowboat and started pecking the button,and another in my little cruiser,but this time I outran him.He was doing about four knots!

I think swans only get agressive in the nesting season,and this bird had a nest at the foot of Elland Bridge.

[Stilllearning]

10 hours ago, StephenA said:

 

Crooke Farm, where we used to moor Mintball, had guard geese. They were, to quote my mother, all mouth and no trousers.

 

 

I grew up with geese ducks and chickens in the garden, you soon learn how to terrify them.

[Big Bob W]

I am sure a flock of geese once guarded a distillery in Scotland.

 

Found it!

Scotch Watch: the Ballantine’s geese | Scotch Whisky

[Tracy D'arth]

Approach with arm extended and firmly grasp the upper bill. Hold on whilst the flapping goes on, looking the goose or swan in the eye. After 10 or 12 seconds release. It will not bother you again.

This works if the bird is in the water as well. With your knuckles in its mouth it cannot peck you. It will not Physically harm the bird, just establish your dominance.

[Hudds Lad]

Yeah, just shove your hand in there what could possibly go wrong  

 

[robtheplod]

Please CRT put this up along the bank!

[Puffling]

26 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Approach with arm extended and firmly grasp the upper bill. Hold on whilst the flapping goes on, looking the goose or swan in the eye. After 10 or 12 seconds release. It will not bother you again.

This works if the bird is in the water as well. With your knuckles in its mouth it cannot peck you. It will not Physically harm the bird, just establish your dominance.

What about psychological harm? How will a post-traumatically-stressed goose return to being an normal member of its community?

We already spend £125,000 each year on stress counselling for Manx shearwaters, another £50,000 for gannets. Why gamble with a bird's future simply for the sake of a moment of peace on your well deck?

[Tracy D'arth]

3 minutes ago, Puffling said:

What about psychological harm? How will a post-traumatically-stressed goose return to being an normal member of its community?

We already spend £125,000 each year on stress counselling for Manx shearwaters, another £50,000 for gannets. Why gamble with a bird's future simply for the sake of a moment of peace on your well deck?

Is this a serious post ?

 

Birds fight one another all the time, one wins, one looses. I am not advocating terrorising these large birds, just dominating one that is naturally aggressive.

 

Its a bird, a source of food, not a child.

[Hudds Lad]

9 minutes ago, Puffling said:

What about psychological harm? How will a post-traumatically-stressed goose return to being an normal member of its community?

We already spend £125,000 each year on stress counselling for Manx shearwaters, another £50,000 for gannets. Why gamble with a bird's future simply for the sake of a moment of peace on your well deck?

 

Is this compensation for having a BBC camera crew and a Welsh chap pole up every breeding season and poke about near their nests?

[Puffling]

1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Is this a serious post ?

 

Birds fight one another all the time, one wins, one looses. I am not advocating terrorising these large birds, just dominating one that is naturally aggressive.

 

Its a bird, a source of food, not a child.

Completely serious. As you know, I have been elected to defend waterbirds' rights on the forum and to promote non-speciesism.

[Hudds Lad]

4 minutes ago, Puffling said:

Completely serious. As you know, I have been elected to defend waterbirds' rights on the forum and to promote non-speciesism.

 

You’re going to get in trouble if you go around asking for money for Shags

[Puffling]

1 minute ago, Hudds Lad said:

 

You’re going to get in trouble if you go around asking for money for Shags

I believe they are already comfortable with income from their GoFundMe page.

[Tracy D'arth]

25 minutes ago, Puffling said:

Completely serious. As you know, I have been elected to defend waterbirds' rights on the forum and to promote non-speciesism.

I know no such thing.  Are you for real?

Is your declared election true?

I think you are just a wind up merchant but it is funny in a gallows humour sort of way.  

[Mac of Cygnet]

13 hours ago, Jerra said:

They do provide an extremely good "early warning system" but perhaps not with the deterrent a nice big dog has.

 

Well they did save Rome  when the guards and their dogs didn't hear the Gauls climbing the walls.

[Hudds Lad]

13 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

Well they did save Rome  when the guards and their dogs didn't hear the Gauls climbing the walls.

 

Didn't work with that chap with the fiddle though