Even for geese the world changes. We understand that each year, more geese come to understand the perils of the flight south for the winter. Of those who go, many do not return --- except, perhaps on some hunter's dinner plate. It's a matter of "survival of the fittest" and more and more of those who survive are those who stay up north year around. It is likely that the immigrants shown below have taken up Niagara County year around residence.
Pictured here is a portion of the family that have taken up residence along the Barge Canal, off Market Street, in Lockport's Lowertown. Here, they know, they are protected from hunters. The canalside park walking path is getting pretty cluttered with their droppings.
Canadian geese are causing a problem all over New York State. In small numbers they were charming to some. Now that they have chosen New York as a year around residence and breeding here, we're seeing serious consequences at our recreational areas. You noted one such problem at Niagara County's Bonds Lake. Now you have a mess starting in Lowertown.
Each goose leaves behind one to three pounds of "little cigars" per day. To stop this mess parks people need to discourage the geese from using parkland as their habitat. Parks people must be pro-active in this and harass them. Treating the ground where they feed is the most effective way to have them move on to other areas. A product called "Rejex-It," when diluted with water, makes the grass unappetizing to the goose. They move on to other feeding areas. Golf courses are also having this problem. Your city parks people need to deal with it immediately! --- Jane Tuttle.