The Goose Whisperer

[Joesocwork 4]

Re: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070719/ap_on_sc/goose_whisperer  

As many members are aware of, I have a son who has autism.  He's now nine years old.  For the past three months, for reasons totally unknown to me, he has developed a complete fascination with geese.   He looks them up on the Internet, asks to see them in parks, mimics them (quite annoyingly accurately I might add), and otherwise talks them about nearly all the time.  I never ever expected people who have an interest in geese to make the news.   So this article in Yahoo News kind of caught me off guard, but it did amuse me and it amused the rest of our family.    

Personally I don't like or dislike geese one way or the other.  I definitely don't like their droppings being in my way; but then again I'm not fond on inconsiderate neighbors not cleaning up after their pets either.   However, geese control apparently is a larger issue then I ever would have imagined.  But there even organizations dedicated between making peace between people and geese.  My hats off to Mr. Hof and my son for opening up a unique look at a microcosm of human culture that I would have supposed existed.  

Also of note: www.geesepeace.org

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Geese are dirty mean animals!!  Don't turn your back to them!!

[Zelgadis 638]

True that, jason. My aunt had a guard goose when I was a kid. If you went to her house, you couldn't get out of your car unless she called off the goose. Otherwise, that nasty thing would put a hole in your shins.

But... there's always a fanclub somewhere for something.

ISF

[JanYpe 17]

Last year I saw Christian Moullec perform at an airshow. It was very cool to see his geese fly in formation with him.

[Barbarossa 51]

I read that story, and I laughed and laughed. I loved it! Geese are awesome little critters, but don't get on their bad side, lol. They are beautiful birds and I am happy to see that there are people who care about them. I saw this documentary the other day that followed a flock of geese in their travels (how do they do that, BTW? Anyone know?). It was great... call it my interest in zoology...

As for your son... I think that it is good for him to have an interest in things. I think autisitcs have the potential to be geniuses. There is a fine line between the two. Many historical geniuses were likely autistic, mainly in the form of social deficits. But they are typically great thinkers, considering that they often focus on certain things... usually things that fit in with their handicap. I think his interest should be encouraged. He just may come up with something no one has done before, kind of like Mr Hof.

Barbarossa

[Something_started 5]

how in the world can someone talk to geese?

[Barbarossa 51]

Once you understand their behavior, it is no big thing. Many, if not most, animals are communicative. Consider it a fault in humanity to think they don't. Whether it be birds or mammals (fish and reptiles are more primitive and studies have not concluded anything), they all communicate using both auditory and body language.

Barbarossa

[Goldfish4209 9]

That's cool! This guy's really good!

[Joesocwork 4]

Originally posted by: JanYpe Last year I saw Christian Moullec perform at an airshow. It was very cool to see his geese fly in formation with him.

quote>

 

You know that reminds of last fall when I took my kiddoes to the 50th anniversary of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.  They have a pretty cool Visitor Center that's child and youth friendly.  On that day they were letting visitors view their research projects and one of the projects was restoring the Whooping Crane  population

.They were not only breeding the cranes but also using similar  gliders to teach them how to fly as part of a formation as part of their migratory patterns.  It was quite remarkable. 

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The geese in formation are Canada geese.  These guys are protected in Canada, and know it.  They make a great nuisance of themselves wherever they congregate, and the goose droppings are very annoying.  Occasionally some city will get a permit to relocate them.

At one time they were an endangered species.  Now, they can't even appear on the dinner table.

[hamsterTK 93]

Me and my dad go goose hunting sometimes. During the winter they roost in south Texas.

I have no special attachment to the birds, in my experience they are wild animals with bad tempers

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Originally posted by: hamsterTK Me and my dad go goose hunting sometimes. During the winter they roost in south Texas.

I have no special attachment to the birds, in my experience they are wild animals with bad tempers

quote>

Amen to that.  And they are good eating too.  Too bad we are not allowed to take them up here.  It would be like shooting ducks in a barrel.  There are millions of them around.

[SpokaneFlyBoy 2]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body The geese in formation are Canada geese.  These guys are protected in Canada, and know it.  They make a great nuisance of themselves wherever they congregate, and the goose droppings are very annoying.  Occasionally some city will get a permit to relocate them.

At one time they were an endangered species.  Now, they can't even appear on the dinner table.quote>

As of when? I go on an annual hunt in Canada every fall up in northern Alberta and they are far from protected. Only the Dusky's are protected as I'm aware and they fly along the Pacific Rim.