Déjà Vu All Over Again—

Domesticated Geese Dumped At Ram Pasture Pond

By Dottie Evans

Animal lovers and birdwatchers alike might want to keep a close watch on the ever-changing avian population down at the Ram Pasture pond.

Once again, domesticated birds are being “dumped” at the pond by persons unknown that leave the birds to fend for themselves in the wild at the coldest time of year.

Although native birds like gulls, mallards, Canada geese, and crows can survive the elements without assistance, domesticated birds such as Muscovy ducks will not. Nor will the large White Embden geese that observant residents have seen mingling with the wild flocks at Hawley Pond during these last few weeks.

When Sarah Middeleer of South Main Street first noticed the two large white geese, she knew they did not belong with the regulars that spend their winter days on and around Hawley Pond –– the mallards and gulls that come and go as they please, or the Canada geese that fly out to surrounding fields to forage for food and then return to the pond to nibble the grass around the shore.

White Embden geese do not fly readily or far because of their weight and because their wings are not adapted for long flight. Raised in captivity for food or as pets, they are accustomed to being fed by people.

“My heart goes out to those unsuspecting birds that find themselves suddenly on Hawley Pond without any shelter from coyotes and other predators,” wrote Ms Middeleer in an email letter to the Bee a week ago.

According to the Virtual Hatchery rare breed website at www.McMurrayhatchery.com, “White Embden geese originated by the Em River in Germany and were first brought to the United States in 1821. They are a wonderful eating bird and [are] easier to dress because of the white plumage. Expect fall weights of 20 pounds for males and 13 pounds for females. Excellent for purebred showing.”

In a message box at that site, someone had noted that White Embden geese make “friendly, affectionate pets and they are wonderful lawnmowers.”

And Then There Was One

After watching the pair for several days, Ms Middeleer suddenly noticed that one goose was missing and she feared the worst.

The prospect brightened, however, when on Friday night, December 17, she was down at the pond to check on the remaining goose and noticed two other figures watching from the shore. They were Nancy Sprung of Papoose Hill Road and her daughter, Jenny, 9.

It was Ms Sprung who told her she had managed to capture one of the geese and it was now secure with her own flock at home, being fed and sheltered within a penned enclosure.

Ms Sprung recalled the chance meeting with Ms Middeleer with pleasure.

“My daughter and I were standing by the pond in the dark looking for the one goose that was left, and we chanced to see a flashlight in the distance. There was this person with a dog also watching out for the goose,” she said, adding they talked for a moment sharing their concern.

Ms Sprung was involved in the Ram Pasture Roundup of January 2004, when approximately 14 abandoned domestic geese and several Muscovy ducks were captured with the help of several Newtown residents and a Westchester youth, who is also a wildlife rehabilitator.

While some of those geese were taken in by local residents, many ended up at Ms Sprung’s six-acre property. Over the past couple of years, she has responded to several calls involving abandoned geese and ducks.

“I started with four of my own, and now I’ve got 21 going on 22 if I manage to rescue this second one,” Ms Sprung said during a phone interview with the Bee on Monday, December 20.

Ms Middeleer was relieved to learn it was Ms Sprung and not a coyote that had captured the missing goose and wondered how the remaining goose could be rescued.

“Nighttime offers the best opportunity,” Ms Sprung noted, but she said that since she had managed to grab the first goose, the second one was understandably wary of her and would not let her approach.

“If I can’t get it, I may have to call my friend Patrick, 16, who lives in Westchester and helped us last year. He’s young and agile and he can bring his friends to help. But he’s already got too many rescued birds himself, and he may not have room for more,” she added.

Ms Sprung is hoping that when this last goose gets hungry enough, it will allow itself to be caught.

“The cold isn’t my biggest worry, it’s the predators,” she said, adding, “he seems to be staying out in the open water as a means of protecting himself.”

Too Big Of A Gaggle

During the interview, Ms Sprung mentioned she is always receptive to hearing from any “responsible person who can care for abandoned domestic ducks or geese,” and who might like to adopt any of her current flock.

“But they would have to have a suitable place to keep them and know about their needs,” she added.

“Domestic ducks and geese don’t need a pond. But during the summer, a kiddie pool is nice. They do need to be fenced in for their own protection, and the fence needs to be high enough –– at least five feet.”

She also cautioned that geese can make a lot of noise at night, and if several that don’t get along are locked in together, they might fight.

“There’s a hierarchy and certain ones don’t get along in close proximity,” she noted.

Ms Sprung said she “originally” wanted just two geese and four ducks, but now things have gone way over that number.

“If someone would take the couples that get along together, I know it would work out,” she said.

Anyone who is seriously interested in adopting any of the many abandoned, domestic geese now being cared for by Nancy Sprung can call her at 426-5243.