Express_2011_04_08

Branta Canadensis is such a happy sound. It

This was not going to be a Saturday

signals the beginning of a new season, new

morning for lollygagging.

life, hope, fresh starts and garden

First, there was the sound of gun shots

preparation. Hear the geese and you know

piercing the crisp fall morning air.

any day now you should be getting back to

Somewhere out there, well-camouflaged

that vital home improvement chore that had

hunters were firing away at a flock of Canada

been abandoned back in the fall, when that

geese. There were at a safe distance, for

perfect Saturday morning was ruined.

other humans but it sounded like artillery

was being unleashed in the kitchen.

72 out of 180

It was going to get worse.

The big, bold and beautiful

Geese began plummeting, falling onto a

The town of Hawkesbury dropped a

nearby field, their ivory bellies shining in

few notches in the annual “Best Places to

Destruction of Canada Geese – yes, there is a

the bright sun.

remain single if a mate dies.

Live In Canada” evaluation conducted by

group for everyone – website, there is a

You have seen dead people and dead

Mated pairs raise and protect their young

MoneySense magazine.

Placing 66th

plethora of non-lethal ways of keeping geese

animals. You live in the country. You expect

together, but also look out for one another

overall among 179 towns in, Hawkesbury

at bay. On the web page, there are links

to encounter hunters, but you do not

over the course of their lives. One mate will

has slipped to 72 out of 180 in the most

leading to solutions such as a “humane hatch

anticipate seeing geese being shot a few

stay by the other’s side if injured or dying,

recent rankings. Here are the numbers for

control company,” hand-held lasers, and fake

hundred feet from your house.

even if the rest of the flock is moving on.

Hawkesbury: Affordable housing 78;

floating gator heads. (Thank goodness the

It was going to get even worse.

They are extremely devoted to one another.

Household income 180; New cars on the

gator heads are fake. Can you imagine if real

The hunters moved in to pick up the dead

But can they move on and seek another

road 48; Job prospects 95; Population

gator heads were used? Feathers would be

birds. And then the honking of the survivors

relationship if they suddenly become single

growth 44; Access to health care 47; Overall

ruffled, indeed!) Anyway, these floaters work

began. OK, the howls of an unhappy baby

again? Well, evidently, every goose is

crime 143; walk or bike to work 23;

on birds, small animals and nosy neighbours.

can be heart-wrenching. Next to that on the

different. But we know that since they are

precipitation 50.

Waving your arms and yelling, “Shoo!” is

gut-ripping scale has to be the cry of an

social birds, they will always have a flock to

a simple and effective technique. It provides

animal in distress. The honks of mourning

hang with.

a good aerobic workout, the physical benefits

on this otherwise beautiful morning

While the migration of the huge honkers

SUCRERIE LAVIGNE RÉSERVATIONS • 450 451-4482

more than compensating for the loss of self-

reverberated across the brightly coloured

is a rite of spring, we are still stirred by the

dignity. But flapping is not much fun as

landscape. The hunters left with their bounty.

sight of them flying in an iconic V formation,

spending money on some contraption.

Some of the surviving geese hung around

as if we have just seen them for the first time.

The debate rages on over the species that

for most of the day, staging a wildlife version

They become familiar soon enough. As

is synonymous with our land. Interestingly,

of a wake for their dead mates. Sure, they

the days grow warmer and longer, the wild

another animal that is associated with

are just animals, but during this requiem,

birds tend to lose their fear of humans.

Pain croûté Cretons

Patates rôties Fèves au lard Oeufs Omelette Soupe aux pois Saucisses Jambon Ragoût de boulettes Grillades (oreilles de crisse)

Canada, the beaver, can also be a destructive

one poor bird was particularly pathetic,

They soar low, showing off their

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little beast.

emitting a sad refrain that echoed in the

underbellies and massive wings.

Mother Nature. Go figure. She is complex,

woods and rolled over the countryside.

Apparently, you can get too much of a

and you never want to tamper with her.

On a decibel level, the lament of a goose

good thing. In the country, the hungry birds

We are fortunate in this part of the world

is as high as the sound of a shotgun blast,

can do big damage to fields.

because this region is part of a flyway for the

and lasts much longer.Anyway, the pall

In many cities, they have become huge

nomadic geese. They are hard to miss.

lifted, the flock moved on, life went on,

nuisances. They take over parks, they

Promenade en traîneau tiré par des chevaux

Geese can be heard night and day as they

seasons changed, etc., etc. Now, of course,

dominate golf courses.

wing it along their migratory paths.

geese have returned, signalling spring as

“Resident” geese, the ones that never

MUSIQUE, DANSE

The charm can wear off in July, when they

they touch down in the same spot that a few

migrate, really get people squawking.

are still hanging around, munching and

months was a killing field.

All sorts of anti-geese measures have been

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pooping.

But, what about that sad goose that was

tried – cannons, swans, dogs, noisemakers,

Fortunately, the invasions are relatively

crying so loudly last fall?

flags, balloons, electrified fences, fireworks,

brief, most of the flocks move on after the

Good question.

strings, scarecrows, vegetation barriers,

northern bodies of water have thawed.

We know that geese, like swans, mate for

decoys, sprinklers, remote control boats.

At this time of year, the honk of the graceful

life but it is not clear whether they will

According to the Coalition to Prevent the

DU CARAVANING A BON MARCHÉ CHEZ TRANSIT CARAVANE

2010 MAXUM WILD 22FDS 0-639

2010 MAXUM WILD 21FBS 0-641

2010 JASPER TRAIL 24RKS 0-643

2010 MAXUM WILD 28BRS 0-644

2010 MAXUM WILD 32QBSS 0-650

2010 COBLAT TRAIL 20RD 0-653

2011 MAXUM WILD 24RL 0-655

2011 KOKANEE EXPRESS M21 0-658

2011 KOKANEE EXPRESS M18 0-659

2011 COBALT TRAIL 27QBSS 0-661

2011 MAXUM WILD 24RL 0-662

2011 JASPER TRAIL 26SRL 0-665

2011 FOX VALLEY 31RE 0-666

2011 FOX VALLEY 30QBX 0-667

2011 KOKANEE EXPRESS M22 0-663

2011 MAXUM WILD 27RL 0-668

2011 MAXUM WILD 28BH 0-670

2011 MAXUM WILD 29RE 0-671

2011 COBALT TRAIL 19E 0-672

2011 GEORGIAN BAY PARK 32CKD 0-673

2011 PINE RIDGE RESORT PARK 40FD 0-674

2011 MAXUM WILD 29RBSS 0-676

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