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Getting rid of Canada Geese from marinas


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Many thanks to chesire rose, Ssscruddy, and Jerra for your helpful advice. I suppose getting only 3 sensible answers out of 50 replies is par for the course for this forum. It's reminded my of why I rarely visit here any more

I agree, on second thoughts brick stuffing doesn't sound too sensible.

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Many thanks to chesire rose, Ssscruddy, and Jerra for your helpful advice. I suppose getting only 3 sensible answers out of 50 replies is par for the course for this forum. It's reminded my of why I rarely visit here any more

I think that the 47 non sensible replies are telling you is that Canada geese are a part of canal life, just as seagulls are, living near the coast.

  • Greenie 3
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Zenataomm was more abrupt at getting that point across.

 

I think that the 47 non sensible replies are telling you is that Canada geese are a part of canal life, just as seagulls are, living near the coast.

NEPALM! That's the way to do it.

That's a drastic measure, shot gun cartridges are way cheaper Edited by gazza
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I think that the 47 non sensible replies are telling you is that Canada geese are a part of canal life, just as seagulls are, living near the coast.

Exactly it's like a family of ducks living on the M1 motorway and complaining that there are cars going past.

 

Darren

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I haven't got that recipe, I tend to stick to simple slow cooked things like chilli and chicken Provencal.

 

I dare not Google it for fear of a bang at the door!

 

 

Easy to dodge that problem. Google it on someone else's computer :D

(Ideally someone you don't like!)

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Easy to dodge that problem. Google it on someone else's computer :D

 

(Ideally someone you don't like!)

You've worked with my old colleague and mentor Dave Green haven't you? :) Edited by gazza
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I think that the 47 non sensible replies are telling you is that Canada geese are a part of canal life, just as seagulls are, living near the coast.

The problem is Canada Geese shouldn't be here at all. They are introduced hence the name and like a number of introduced species have had a population explosion since the mid 20th century until they are now becoming a serious pest.

 

Approx 3 geese will eat as much as 1 sheep and remember the grass you see in the fields is a crop and they are eating it. They present a health hazard with their droppings and cause environmental damage trampling plants, pushing out native wildlife etc.

 

We will never get rid of them now but they do need serious control.

 

 

 

EDIT: For fat fingers.

Edited by Jerra
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Many thanks to chesire rose, Ssscruddy, and Jerra for your helpful advice. I suppose getting only 3 sensible answers out of 50 replies is par for the course for this forum. It's reminded my of why I rarely visit here any more

So you don't consider posts from people who like birds as "sensible"? Or perhaps those ARE the ones which you appreciate?

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So you don't consider posts from people who like birds as "sensible"? Or perhaps those ARE the ones which you appreciate?

Just for the record I like birds! That is why I feel Canada Geese as alien species doing great harm economically environmentally and from a health perspective need controlled.

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Would you suggest we treat all types of immigrants to this country in this manner?......... Just asking. (mischievously I add)

Only the ones brought here under duress and released causing massive environmental problems. (I think that has missed all the current censorship of the forum and tries to show what I mean).

 

EDIT: Just answering mischievously.

Edited by Jerra
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So you don't consider posts from people who like birds as "sensible"? Or perhaps those ARE the ones which you appreciate?

 

 

 

I like birds a great deal but I can also appreciate the huge problems that Canada Geese are causing. Whether to farmers, land owners or just ordinary people they are a nuisance with the damage they do and the mess they leave. I do not advocate mass killing but their numbers need to be artificially restricted to keep control. Preventing them from nesting or addling the eggs at the earliest possible stage of development is a far better solution that getting out a gun.

 

I adore seeing flocks of geese flying, especially if they are Greylag because I know they are native not introduced. Human intervention brought the Canada Geese here and so we now need to intervene again because they are a problem. In many cases the Canada geese are taking over the habitats that our native birds might occupy and so pushing them out.

 

Taking the figures that Jerra posted about a Canada goose chomping it's way through the same amount of grass as two and a half sheep.... well according to the RSPB we have 190,000 Canada geese overwinter here so unless they are humanely controlled people better get a taste for goose with their mint sauce!

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So, the case against Canada geese is that they eat, they excrete and they're bloody immigrants. The first two are practised by all birds,

The problem is that yet again they are the result of man's intervention. They do not fit into a natural niche in our habitat and so have had a population explosion. They outnumber our only (apart from very small number of other species) resident goose by 1.5 - 2 to one.

 

They are large they excrete lots of droppings and because they have taken over habitat which is close to humans they cause a health risk and a nuisance (I will refrain from saying an H & S risk). They are damaging our wildlife which doesn't cause the same risk or damage.

 

They cause economic damage by taking away grazing and eating (not to mention contaminating crops)

 

If any UK species was causing the problems Canadas cause I would be suggesting control of their population. The point is though UK natural populations have evolved in our environment and don't cause these problems.

 

The fact they are introduced (note not immigrants - immigration implies they got here on their own. Some migrants do each year and then return to Canada) is the problem. Any introduced animal or plant generally causes problems I can't think of a single introduction which hasn't.

 

Would you feel the same about say the New Zealand Flatworm or even the Harlequin Ladybird (which is rapidly destroying all 22 of our native species).

 

I acknowledge they are beautiful all birds are but our native species which aren't causing an environmental disaster could just as easily provide joy while boating.

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Immigrants are often frostily received when first they reach our shores, until the public eventually tolerate and then accept them.

Take the case of the grey squirrel. A generation ago, people were throwing up their arms in horror because these nasty foreign squirrels were taking over the habitats of the true-blue red squirrel. Now, most of us just enjoy seeing them and accept that they are part of the country scene.

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Immigrants are often frostily received when first they reach our shores, until the public eventually tolerate and then accept them.

Take the case of the grey squirrel. A generation ago, people were throwing up their arms in horror because these nasty foreign squirrels were taking over the habitats of the true-blue red squirrel. Now, most of us just enjoy seeing them and accept that they are part of the country scene.

First neither Grey Squirrels nor Canada Geese are immigrants they are introductions.

 

I don't know where you get the idea that greys are being accepted round here there are notices which basically say (obviously not in so many words) if you see a grey give us a ring and we will come and shoot it. Large numbers of people are doing just that.

 

I would agree they are accepted in cities and by those who don't care about the balance of nature being disturbed. Unfortunately in spite of both species being squirrels their feeding and habits are different greys do a lot of damage particularly to forestry. They are also causing the rapid loss (due to squirrel pox) the rapid loss of the native reds. Not taking over the habitat but giving them a rather horrible disease a bit like Myxomtosis causing a long slow lingering death. Before anyone asks Greys have resistance to Squirrel Pox Reds ahving evolved in the UK don't.

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First neither Grey Squirrels nor Canada Geese are immigrants they are introductions.

 

 

There is no practical difference. They were in another country, they came to this country, be it by choice or not. You say potato, I'll say potarto, to mention but one immigrant vegetable.

 

 

I don't know where you get the idea that greys are being accepted.

From living in England, I suppose. When we've been somewhere and grey squirrels were leaping from tree to tree or posing prettily, I've seen and heard people expressing pleasure at the sight. I've never heard anyone yelling "Shoot the bastard!"

 

Another immigrant species, the domestic cat, is responsible for the deaths of thousands of birds, mice and other small creatures every year - yet I hear no call to shoot or ban cats.

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There is no practical difference. They were in another country, they came to this country, be it by choice or not. You say potato, I'll say potarto, to mention but one immigrant vegetable.

Immigration means they came of their own accord there are migrant Canada geese in ones and twos (not of the same group as the introduced Canadas) and they don't stay. if and it is a big if they chose to stay they would be immigrants.

 

The practical difference is that immigrants arrive find a niche in the habitat they can fill and generally cause no problems there are new species of flora and fauna arriving every year. Introductions don't have a niche they have to force their way into the habitat and in virtually every case are a problem.

 

The other reason for using introduction (apart from it being correct) is that in the current political climate (whoops am I allowed to use the P word) it is often used deliberately emotively. It is wrong IMO to use emotive language about something in a discussion particularly when it is the wrong term. It (to me at least) seems to be being used to gain a "oh poor immigrants being picked on attitude" in the reader because of the current public attitudes to migration and immiogration.

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At this juncture I should make it clear, Jerra, that although our opinions may not totally concur I am reading your posts attentively and learning from them. It is obvious that your study of birds over many years has been at a much deeper level than mine - I can certainly claim a lifelong interest in and appreciation of birds (one of the several things which I'm pleased that my late father taught me) but can't truly claim to be a student of them. So please don't infer any animosity from my remarks - I am grateful to you for imparting your knowledge.

 

So, if we are to use the term "introduced", then who introduced Canada Geese to Britain and why? My guess would be to adorn the lakes of the stately homes of nobility and landed gentry.

Edited by Athy
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