No Canada Goose Nesting Issues in Vegreville and Area

No Canada Goose Nesting Issues in Vegreville and Area

Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent

Global News reported that Canada geese are making an appearance in Edmonton and these geese are trying to find a nesting site which is creating problems for some residents in Edmonton.

However, most residents of Vegreville and area said that they only seen a couple of these geese flying by around at the beginning of March.

Mike Hewitt, District Fish and Wildlife Officer said Canada geese are normally seen at Vegreville Trout pond or Vegreville Elks/Kinsmen Park once the ice opens up and starts coming off of the lake.

“I have only seen a couple of geese flying in the air or south of Vegreville in the field at Daysland Pheasant Release Site which is about a 30 minute drive from Vegreville.”

Canada geese with their goslings at Elks/Kinsmen Park last year.

(Rosanne Fortier/File Photo)

When I asked Hewitt if Vegreville ever had a problem with these geese seeking inappropriate nesting sites and bothering the citizens with this, he replied, “I don’t recall any recent calls from residents complaining about these geese nesting in areas where the residents didn’t want the geese to nest.

But when the geese first come in, they are looking for optimal nesting sites. We had a nest at Vegreville Trout Pond right on the edge where people could access it last year and it was easy for people to disturb it. If the geese do nest in an area where people don’t want them to be, you have to make the geese uncomfortable in the area and they will typically go and find another nesting site.

If it is on a farm, people could put a piece of equipment or vehicle in that area to deter the geese from being in that area and the geese will go off and find a different place. Then once the geese have their eggs at the nesting site, it is unlawful to disturbed them.

A pair of Canada geese in flight.

(Brian Genereux/Submitted Photo)

“Once geese do cause problems, Fish and Wildlife might be able to use a live trap on the animal and move it out of the area. But typically we would do a hazing or use scare devices to try and deter it from being in the area or being comfortable around people.

Often times, what happens is the public will feed these animals and that makes them feel comfortable around people and then the geese show less fear. If we feed these geese, we can get undesired response where these birds are always in the area and always close to people. We are trying to keep them wild so they are not always be hanging around and are migrating like they are supposed to,” Hewitt mentioned.

Michael van der Torre, Parks, Recreation and Facilities Manager for the Town of Vegreville said he hasn’t seen any Canada geese yet this season. “We don’t do anything to deter the Canada geese from nesting at Elks/Kinsmen Park or the other parks in Vegreville. The geese are typically pretty quiet. I haven’t had any complaints about the geese.”

Brian Genereux, who is a bird watcher and photographer, said the first Canada geese he saw were a group of five at Whitford Lake on March 3 which is a bit early but not usual.