Canada geese

[blackrose]

Yesterday I saw my first small flock of Canada geese at my mooring on the Warks Avon since moving here over a year ago. I have to say that this flock seem very quiet and polite compared to the raucous mobs I'm used to seeing on the Thames. Why are there so few up here compared to the Thames and do larger numbers of these birds mean they get noisier as they compete for food, space, sex, etc?

Edited May 28, 2014 by blackrose

[cotswoldsman]

Not quite sure where you are. I have a house not far from Stratford and their they have an annual cull and control the numbers by removing the eggs from nests to just 2 eggs this was the result of constant attacks to tourists visiting the riverm Avon in Stratford. Last year there was a big uproar in the Lake District when they started introducing a cull. Where I am moored at present there are signs asking people not to feed the Geese unfortunately like all these things no one takes any notice and I would say there is a flock of about 50/60 Geese here with about the same amount of clicks making a bloody racket most of the day. I think a nationwide cull is required in some areas

Edited May 28, 2014 by cotswoldsman

[blackrose]

Ah, I didn't realise numbers were being controlled. That must be why there are fewer up here. Perhaps that's why they are quieter too. They've seen the alternative so they're behaving themselves! I'm about halfway between Stratford and Evesham.

Edited May 28, 2014 by blackrose

[jelunga]

Pity they taste aweful

[Bettie Boo]

Funny enough, I didn't see my first Canada goose until I moved to England!

[Athy]

Funny enough, I didn't see my first Canada goose until I moved to England!

Perhaps they had all moved here already?

 

I find it hard to equate stories of goose culls, and even stealing their eggs, with a recent thread which made it clear that it was illegal to take or harm any wild bird, or to disturb its nest. Do the people culling them have some kind of official permission?

[patty-ann]

I saw quite a few Canadian Geese whilst moving boat from Dudley to Norton Crane on Monday, many had young and 2 pairs had 7 between them. It was quite funny as I viewed the whole flock moving purposely towards a fisherman who appeared to be getting a tad nervous. As to culling there are what appears to be official culls of certain species, my son has been invited to local Castles cull of mutjac deer when their numbers increased significantly. But who gives permission I do not know.

[cotswoldsman]

Perhaps they had all moved here already?I find it hard to equate stories of goose culls, and even stealing their eggs, with a recent thread which made it clear that it was illegal to take or harm any wild bird, or to disturb its nest. Do the people culling them have some kind of official permission?

Yes there is quite a long and complicated process as I said in the Lake District it caused quite an uproar. In Stratford it was done on H&S grounds after 2 children were quite badly injured and one nearly drowned in the river when being chased by one

I saw quite a few Canadian Geese whilst moving boat from Dudley to Norton Crane on Monday, many had young and 2 pairs had 7 between them. It was quite funny as I viewed the whole flock moving purposely towards a fisherman who appeared to be getting a tad nervous. As to culling there are what appears to be official culls of certain species, my son has been invited to local Castles cull of mutjac deer when their numbers increased significantly. But who gives permission I do not know.

I think that might be where I am moored at present

[Phil Ambrose]

Permission to cull? Often wondered about this myself as here in the Fens they do have shoots to control numbers of geese because of the damage they cause to crops. Standing on the flood bank looking over the fields youu can see huge swathes of crops that have been eaten down to the ground. I guess its a bit like rabbits, all very cute but HAVE to be controlled. Its not uncommon for a farmer to lose several or even tens of acres of say wheat to geese or rabbits at about a loss of £2000 per acre, I know one chap who lost 70 acres of winter wheat to rabbits so a consideral loss of cash.

Phil

[Alan de Enfield]

They can be shot between 1st September an 31st Jan without a specific licence (but you cannot use lead shot now for any waterfowl)

 

If they are creating a nuisance and you have tried other methods to remove them (scarcrow, bangers, etc etc) and can prove you have tried to move them on you, you can apply for an "Open Genaeral Licence to shoot them between the normal season dates.

[rubblequeen]

Pity they taste aweful

Are they really not edible or rather taste too bad to eat?

[Jerra]

Perhaps they had all moved here already?

 

I find it hard to equate stories of goose culls, and even stealing their eggs, with a recent thread which made it clear that it was illegal to take or harm any wild bird, or to disturb its nest. Do the people culling them have some kind of official permission?

Canada Geese are one of the few species that are covered by a "general Licence" as a pest species. They have to be a danger to crops public health etc for that.

 

As an introduced species they haven't got a natural niche and are clearly in many areas damaging food supplies and creating a health hazard.

[Alan de Enfield]

We had over 100 in our garden yesterday they are a real nuisance.

 

They are edible (if you were on a desert island and hadn't eaten for a week) but just 'nasty', and 'tough'.

 

There is not really 'a lot on them' when compared to domestic (eating) geese. They have to stay slim to be able to fly.

[cheshire~rose]

We saw a flock of Canada Geese on The Trent & Mersey - can't remember exactly where now but somewhere around Burton On Trent way. They had managed to find a way through the hedge into a field of rape seed and were busy muching their way through the crop. There was a large area that had already been munched/trampled by them and there were a good number of goslings too.

[cotswoldsman]

We saw a flock of Canada Geese on The Trent & Mersey - can't remember exactly where now but somewhere around Burton On Trent way. They had managed to find a way through the hedge into a field of rape seed and were busy muching their way through the crop. There was a large area that had already been munched/trampled by them and there were a good number of goslings too.

They could always fly over the hedge

[cheshire~rose]

They could always fly over the hedge

 

Yes of course they could but these fat buggers just wadlled their way into the field!

[ditchcrawler]

Pity they taste aweful

I wouldn't say that and I have eaten a few

Have you tried them or just listened to the bake a brick jokes?

[Guest]

Never eaten one, but slow cooked in a ruby would be OK?

[ditchcrawler]

Only the breasts are worth eating.

[Athy]

Only the breasts are worth eating.

 

A closet Sun reader, eh?

[Sir Nibble]

You can tell the difference between geese and Canada geese because geese go "Honk!" and Canada geese go "Honk! eeehhh?"

[ditchcrawler]

A closet Sun reader, eh?

O that was cruel

[Bettie Boo]

You can tell the difference between geese and Canada geese because geese go "Honk!" and Canada geese go "Honk! eeehhh?"

[madcat]

Loads of suitable recipes would help to reduce the numbers. I would welcome a change from crunchy fried rat.

[mattlad]

Loads of suitable recipes would help to reduce the numbers. I would welcome a change from crunchy fried rat.

Try mink there are plenty of them on the cut!