The wedding party at beautiful Aldridge Gardens.
These are some communities that treat molting geese with patience and compassion.
1. Aldridge Gardens, Hoover, Al. The pristine gardens are a sanctuary for about 20 molting geese. Several sets of parents also raise their young here.The grass is pesticide-free, in part to accommodate the winged visitors. "The geese come and go," says executive director Rip Weaver, "and we don't interfere with their flight patterns." Aldridge Gardens is also host to proms and graduations; nor is it unusual to see a smattering of geese at a wedding.
The location is also generally free of goose poop. Maintenance workers spray the sidewalks and clean up after the geese, just as you would a cat or dog. Some geese travel many miles to reach a favored molt location and it is not hard to see why this destination would be considered sacred to a goose.
2. Central Park. The city’s crown jewel has been accepting of Canada geese during a decade of cruel, often harsh treatment at other New York parks
“I can't speak to other places," says Patty Adjamine of Manhattan, one of several advocates for their safety, "but there has been a marked turnaround in attitudes towards geese over the past year. No one yells at me anymore (for feeding) and I have met countless people ho love and carej about the geese.”
Several dozen resident geese (from the U.S.) will also have a safe harbor during the summer molt.
There has also been no sign of the Geese Police (the harassment people) this last year, she says.
Adjamine also keeps track of the park’s visiting geese, noting their nesting, feeding and flight habits. Recently, a favorite pair, Hansel and Greta, introduced her to their two newborns before introducing them to the water,
Adjamine is also hopeful that since Central Park is famous throughout the world, these geese policies might be modeled by other parks.
3.Somewhere in Dixie. The state must remain anonymous but this list wouldn’t be complete without noting these caring citizens who went above and beyond for their geese.
''A group of us decided that we are not going to allow the USDA/Wildlife Services to throw our precious geese into gas chambers for taxpayers’ money any more. We're tired of these senseless killings and the greedy government officials committing these horrific slaughters.
‘We know many of the locations where there are contracts and (the feds) come out to kill the geese while they are molting. We just get there a few days before they do and move the geese to private lakes and ponds, quickly and quietly. We can usually move up to 40 geese from a known site in an hour or less.
‘We operate under a licensed waterfowl rescue just in case the police are called and we need to show a document stating that we are rescuing injured geese. Yes, we can only move 'injured geese', but we're not above saying what we need to say, to save our geese. We go out very early on a Sunday morning when the likelihood of anyone noticing is slim to none. I only wish there were many organized groups of rescuers moving geese to safety before the greedy Wildlife Services shows up with its gas chambers. Hope this can help others do the same without exposing our group."
4. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Division. The division issues a statewide press release asking Georgia residents to remember to be patient with molting geese.
“Each summer, geese lose their primary flight feathers,” says state waterfowl biologist Greg Balkcom, "and it is typically this time of year that the most complaints about goose feces and feathers are reported.”
Often people don’t know what the molt was, he says, or that it is temporary.
“Remember,” he adds, ”that the geese will be moving on as soon as they can fly.”
5. Helena, Al. There is probably no better place for a molting goose than this city lake. About 150 geese annually brave smoldering heat. Some are part of my study group; others come from long distances. As soon as the molt is over, many head out for parts unknown. Park personnel vacuum sidewalks daily and do a thorough cleaning weekly with such expertise that some days you wouldn't know there was a goose here. Our local NBC affiliate did the geese an enormous favor when they allowed me to take viewers around the lake, explaining the molt. I also introduced them to several ganders to show the difference in flight patterns. "Crip only comes for the molt," I said, acknowledging a gander with a crippled foot. "I won't see him again until next summer. Horever, Horatio, whose parents, Zoey and Dad, let me help raise him, flies in and out because he is bonded to me."
6. Madison, WI. Dane County Regional Airport was killing Canada geese until residents demanded proof that urban geese posed a threat to air safety. As a result, officials initiated a study that became a major presentation at an International Bird Strike Prevention conference. The study, led by Philip Whitford, a professor who interprets geese flight patterns, determined that urban geese did not fly in or near the airport, making roundups costly and unnecessary. As a result, the killing contracts came to an end.
7. Edgewater, N.J. Last summer, The Animal Protection League of New Jersey offered to buy out the $5,900 Wildlife Services’ contract but borough officials refused (although a roundup fell through). However, there has been a change of heart and this month, humane measures will be introduced.
“Townspeople enjoy the geese,” says Angi Metler, APL executive director. "They don’t want to see them destroyed."
Last summer, residents were also forced to go undercover to save a family of parents and five goslings (from being gassed) by keeping them on the move so no one (with evil intentions) could track where they were .
Let’s let the geese molt in peace this year, Metler adds.