Reading Gail's passage ["These dramatic goose and swan flights make me think -- how many people in
the DC area heard these geese and looked up? Some folks have gotten so
removed from nature that they not recognize (or perhaps, even hear) what to
our ancestors was one of the first harbingers of spring."], I couldn't agree more - but it also got me thinking about Canada Geese in our region, past and present.

It's possible an entire generation has largely missed the spectacle which was a rite-of-passage, both spring and fall, while living in the Mid-Atlantic area, and more specifically in and around the Chesapeake Bay.  The fairly tremendous V's which now grace our skies again had notably declined beginning in the mid-80's and lasting through to the latter part of 90's.  The tremendous V's weren't there anymore, and for some time.  The decline and changes are recognized and documented which include the popular "non-migratory" Canada Goose (the "pest).  The non-migratory goose was residing throughtout the flyway so this in part distributed the population, reducing the grander spectacle.  Reproduction and predation of course played large parts in the changes. The following link tells the story well.

http://www.fws.gov/ChesapeakeBay/cgoose.html

The good news seems to be the V's are flying again.  A success story.  One can only hope folks notice, since the clouds of migrating Canada Geese truly represent a postcard moment for our Chesapeake Bay region.

Just some thoughts...


Rick Cheicante
Harford County
Bel Air, MD