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4/13/2004 7:55:40 AM
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patw
Posts 2826
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At my work, two geese made a nest in a barrel planter outside the front door. This is a County building, so there are many people coming by daily. One bird sits on (we think there are six eggs) and the other walks back and forth in front of the planter standing guard. The building manager put out a sign stating that the birds are nesting, to leave them alone and that they are protected under federal law and can`t be moved. Is there anything we can do to help these two. Is there food we can put out for them etc.
Patw
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4/13/2004 8:05:26 AM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Pat,
Be careful not to put food close to the nest. It will attract predators, especially raccoons and opossums. You could put food at least 100 yds from the nest in a grassy spot and they would find it, but I would be very careful. Do they have water close by?
Benne
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4/13/2004 8:39:25 AM
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patw
Posts 2826
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At my work, two geese made a nest in a barrel planter outside the front door. This is a County building, so there are many people coming by daily. One bird sits on (we think there are six eggs) and the other walks back and forth in front of the planter standing guard. The building manager put out a sign stating that the birds are nesting, to leave them alone and that they are protected under federal law and can`t be moved. Is there anything we can do to help these two. Is there food we can put out for them etc.
Patw
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4/13/2004 8:46:51 AM
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Guest
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I love this "Take back the Urbs" attitude on the part of wildlife. Sort of "If they can`t find a way to live with us, we will find a way to live with them" Not ideal, maybe, but if there is a county building there is probably a county full of people who need it, it won`t be going away in the near future, and at least the birds are making the best of it!
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4/13/2004 8:51:44 AM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Theresa,
I think it is a good use of a government building, at least the geese are not buying $500 hammers. Besides, if we move into an animal`s territory, we should expect to find animals, right? ;-}
Benne
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4/13/2004 9:03:34 AM
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patw
Posts 2826
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I agree with all comments so far. I forgot to add that when my office moved to this building almost ten years ago, we had turkey buzzards that nested on the roof. They would circle the building. They were also protected so we had to live with them. We all joked that it was a commentary on the state of Health and Human Resources in the County that we had buzzards circling the building :>) LOL.
But the geese are definitely an improvement. At the moment it is pouring rain so I would say there is definitely enough water. We have a lot of grass and lawn all around the building, so I guess we can scatter seed, bread crumbs? around for them to eat. I hadn`t thought about predators so that is something to think about.
It has been funny watching these geese. It has given a lift to everyone in the building. And we are having the roof repaired so workers have been working all around the birds and they have not been daunted by the activity. They have been steadfast and remained guarding their babies. I think it is wonderful!!
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4/13/2004 9:13:53 AM
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benne
Posts 19258
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The reason I asked about water was, if there is a pond, lake or some body of water, the logical place to put food would be near the water because they will leave the nest to drink. I would not feed bread, cracked corn, shell corn or cracked wheat is best. They cannot pick up regular bird seed with their bills and the seed mixes you see in grocery stores are not very nutrituous. A lot of cheap filler seed with little nutritional value. I am assuming these are Canadian geese? They are very tolerant of human activity, sometimes to the detriment of the humans when they form large flocks. If this nesting is successful, the babies that are hatched will nest in your area next year if they survive. In no time you could have a full-fledged flock on your hands. Watch where you walk! Is this more info than you wanted? :-}
Benne
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4/13/2004 1:53:17 PM
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patw
Posts 2826
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Benne,
This is very helpful information, thank you. I would bet they are Canadian geese, and for a few years now the front lawn of this building has been a landing point on their way south in Winter and then north in Spring. Most of us do not mind even when they befoul the sidewalks. There is no immediate body of water, but there are ponds within a mile or so from the building.
Someone in the building just sent out an email memo: They checked with the park service about our geese and their advise is to leave them alone and let them do their own thing. They do not advise we try to feed them at all because they can become dependent on us for survival. They said that when the eggs hatch, the parents will move them to water to teach them to swin.
Thanks for all your help and comments. I find it fascinating and wonderous to watch them. I work in a very urban area just outside Washington DC. The wildlife here are finding it harder and harder to avoid the concrete and cement. My supervisor has a terrible time with the deer eating her flower beds and they even come on her deck and eat the flowers out of her planters. I keep telling her one day they will just knock on the door and ask to come in! But I like the sense of living things being around, but I don`t think it is always the best thing for the animals.
By the way, I am still working on your dragon pattern. I did get the coat back from my friend Jean, but I still have to sit down and look at what I did on the collar and the sleeve cuffs. I will get it to you as soon as I can.
Patw
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4/13/2004 1:55:41 PM
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Guest
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Benne is right about the bread. Bread can freeze in the stomach during cold weather and kill the birds. You can get 50# bags of cracked corn at Feed Stores and Hunting supply stores (it`s pretty cheap). Just sprinkle a little out at a time. But she`s also right about watching where you walk! Geese are very, very, very messy and their large numbers here at certain recreational lakes in Georgia have actually closed the lakes because of excess fecal material in the water. Also, when the babies hatch the geese may be overly aggressive so keep your distance (have you ever seen any of those video shows on TV when geese are involved?)!
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4/13/2004 5:13:34 PM
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Libby
Posts 7209
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I work in an industrial area and we have geese every year at this time. I honestly think that they migrate. The geese come in the spring and lay their eggs. Eventually they hatch and they are ugly actually but give them a couple of weeks and they are cute. This year we had several families!
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4/13/2004 6:21:24 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Libby,
I don`t know what area of the country you live in but most geese and ducks are migratory. I used to live in a flyway and every spring and fall huge flocks of geese would fly over at daybreak, honking, in a perfect vee formation. It was very thrilling to see and hear and made me wish I could fly.
Benne
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4/13/2004 7:09:04 PM
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Guest
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A nonsensical, but (to me only) interesting point: My very earliest memory (I was about 2 1/2 years) was of being attacked by a goose...not a Canadian, but a domestic gander. I was probably trying to make friends and he didn`t appreciate it. I remember his fury as he ran toward me, honking loudly, wings outspread, and knocked me down. One of the ranch men picked me up and carried me potato stack style over his hip to the house and the ministrations of my mother. Although unhurt, you couldn`t tell that from the ferocity of my crying! This did NOT, by the way, start any sort of dislike or fear of geese...I like geese.
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4/13/2004 7:31:03 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Marion,
I can just see that happening. I have domestic geese, you know, the grey and white ones, and they have poor Belle buffaloed. The other day one bit her on the butt and now she won`t get off the porch if they are in the yard! I`m so glad you weren`t permanently traumatized by your encounter. One of my earlist memories is being flogged by a game cock (as you probably know, they also have some nasty spurs). I was the same age you were. My grandfather rescued me. I still like chickens. After all I was chasing the baby chicks trying to catch them. :-}
Benne
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4/14/2004 9:08:09 PM
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Guest
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Timothy was bitten on the finger by a duck at the game farm...
Theresa, well, what do you expect, I was born in Brooklyn
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