GEESE and LOONS by Ralph Bice
From May 14, 1975
I do not suppose there is anything that is more widely watched and talked about in the spring and fall than the migration flights of wild geese. The fall flights, while we are pleased to see them, have a bit of a sad tone for it means cold weather is on the way. On the other hand the spring flights mean winter is behind us and we can look forward to warmer weather and the pleasant days of summer.
The geese that we see are most commonly Canada geese. They drop down to rest and feed on lakes and in fields. If they are not bothered they will return to that spot where they feel safe. One such place was the Reed farm at Beaver (Bethune) Lake. The geese paid it a visit both spring and fall for a good number of years. It is not unusual for a tired goose to drop out of the flock to rest.
One day I came home from a day in the woods and was quite surprised to see a wild goose sitting in the centre of the field. I called Mrs. B. and we had a good look. It stayed for three weeks. Once it took off after a flock but came back after a couple of hours. I was told that days we were away kids came and threw stones at it but after a while it seemed to get quite tame. Edna could get within a few yards of it and took many pictures. What did seem a bit of a surprise was that it nested right close to one of the beagles. And never once did either of the dogs bark at the goose or show any signs of excitement when it was near.
When I first realized that our visitor might stay a while the thing that crossed my mind was that as soon as the season opened the Bices would have roast goose. But after a while that bird seemed like it belonged and by the time it would have been legal to shoot it I could no more have killed it than I could have one of the dogs. In fact, I have not had the slightest desire since then to want to shoot a wild goose.
There are ten sub species of this finest of game birds. One, the Giant Canada, the largest goose, was thought to be extinct until a few years ago. I believe that I saw some Lesser Canadas. Don McLean reports that he saw a pair of snow geese sitting on the ice near open water on Beaver Lake.
Besides Canadas there are six other types of wild geese. The white or snow goose is the most common. There is also the blue goose which scientists have found out is the snow goose with a different colour phase. Then there is the Brant which has two sub species, the Barnacle Goose, the Emperor Goose, White Fronted Goose and Ross’s Goose.
I have seen a number of flocks of Brant geese flying over Rain Lake in Algonquin Park. They are easily distinguishable from Canadas. Their call is not quite the same, just a bit on the raucous side, though quite loud. But they do not fly in any sort of formation, just in a flock like other birds. But the flocks I have seen had several hundred birds, both spring and fall.
While geese nest in the north flocks have been seen during the summer. Perhaps they were wanderers. But something would be missing from spring and fall if we did not see and listen to their welcome honking.
