by: Dan Banks
SPRING 1989
"It wasn't part of the plan, but I guess you can't blame the geese. The day they learned to fly was the day they left the rather barren bogs of cape Breton Highlands and headed for the greener pastures of the lowlands. I'd have probably done the same thing myself. But I'm getting ahead of myself....."
In the spring of 1980, the Department of Lands and Forests initiated a 5-year program to establish a resident breeding flock of Canada geese in the wilds of Cape Breton. Eggs were collected from the large nuisance flocks on Toronto Island and at Upper Canada Village. Under the watchful eyes of Park Supervisor Eldon Pace, the eggs were incubated at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park. When the birds hatched and had grown to be reasonably "weather-roved" (but before they had learned to fly), they were released into a large fenced area on the Cape Breton Highlands. Once the birds became airborne, they could easily escape. this process is called gentle release.
It is a biological fact that, after choosing her mate, a female Canada goose intent on raising her young will return to the general area where she learned to fly. It was our hope that the birds would join migrating flocks of geese in the fall, and return to breed in Cape Breton once they reached sexual maturity.
The first 223 birds were released in July of 1980. Unfortunately, this group of birds didn't fare very well. While at the Wildlife Park, they became imprinted on humans. Their begging for handouts from passing fishermen worked well until the goose season opened in the fall. Talk about a "cooked goose"!
Experience and improved handling techniques in subsequent years resulted in the release of wilder birds and, with the cooperation of all wildlife groups on Cape Breton Island, we closed the goose hunting season in Victoria and Inverness counties.
That brings us around to the start of my story. Recognizing the birds' preference for the lowlands, in 1982 and subsequent years geese were released at select Ducks Unlimited sites and selected marshes off the Highlands. By the time the active phase of the project concluded in 1984, 757 birds had been released into the wild.
Each released goose carried a numbered leg band. To date, we have recovered 63 bands. The return of these bands (mainly from legal harvest) has revealed the migratory pattern of the birds. Most of the returns have been from the Atlantic Provinces and the eastern seaboard of the Unite States; a few have come back from Ontario. The most unusual recovery was from a bird that apparently didn't like Cape Breton winters and went looking for much warmer climes! A female released in 1982 was recovered in November 1985 near Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic (approximately 5100 airline kilometres (3200 miles) south of Cape Breton.
Shortly after ice-out in 1984, I noticed a pair of Canadas performing courtship activities on a pond near Baddeck. throughout April, I watched the gander patrol the waters around a small clump of alders. On a tiny island in the pond, sitting motionless on her nest, was his mate. Any potential predators (including myself) and any other geese became the center of his complete and undivided attention. On the morning of May 30, the historic event occurred: five bright yellow goslings left the nest.
Later that day CBC New viewers saw a clip of the first documented Canada goose brood in Cape Breton. Since then, many other broods have followed. By 1988 there were a few scattered pairs of geese nesting throughout both counties, with a small concentration of birds nesting within 10 miles of Baddeck.
As I write this, a flock of approximately 100 geese is building up their pre-migration food reserves. before long, I, with many residents of Cape Breton, will be anxiously awaiting the first thaws of spring and the distant clamour of our returning geese.