April 10, 2010

Earlier this week, as I took the path between the front and back yards for the umpteenth time during cleanup, two pigeons flew out from under the eaves and scared the dust off me. Within a few minutes, it happened again, but this time, an egg fell and smashed on a stone.

I got the feeling they wouldn’t be back.  Had mixed feelings about the scrambled egg: it would obviously mean no pigeon chick, but then again I’m not sure I needed pigeon droppings below the nest if they got established there.

The pigeons were just being pigeons, like the other Earth’s animals that generally produce offspring in the spring. Around us, the house finches are paired off and robins have been scouting nesting sites. We’ve called them Louise and Louie Louie since they first nested in the honeysuckle vine next to the garage door and disapproved when we dared tried to enter the garage. Got to the point we muttered, “Jeez, Louise.”

Anyway, over the years, between marauding crows, heavy, wet snowfalls and other dangers, we’ve seen only two robin fledglings leave a nest.

Not everyone fully appreciates the spring fling. Talked to a reader this week concerned over goose control around Henderson Lake.

For several years, grounds keepers at Henderson Lake Golf Club have received permits to apply canola oil to goose eggs in a “huge number of nests” at the course, says course superintendent Dave Wobschall.

“If we didn’t control them, the goose population would double every three years.”

Canola oil will be put on nests this month to inhibit hatching.

“It has undoubtedly controlled the population,” he says.

Gordon Cox, a wildlife officer with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Calgary, says the Migratory Bird Convention Act provides for goose control. Environment Canada issues permits “to remove or eliminate migratory birds or nests where it is necessary to do so to avoid injury to agricultural interests or in any other circumstances set out in the regulations.”

He says other means of deterring geese that “are a risk to the public or damage property” involve dogs, scarecrows and in remote areas such as the oil sands scare cannons. “As long as it’s not firearms or aircraft.”

At Henderson Lake, “We use a couple of dogs to scare away the migrating geese. But the ones who nest here just go into the water then return to the nests,” says Wobschall.

Where there can be disagreement between golfers and others who as strollers enjoy the geese around the lake, it may seem like a stretch to mention another spring reality, this involving spawning fish.

Alberta Environment aquatic biologist Mike Bryski has been working for the past few years with operators at dams on the St. Mary, Waterton and Oldman rivers to encourage a more stable release of water to accommodate spring spawners such as rainbow trout.

When possible, “They try to avoid dumping large amounts of water in early spring that could negatively impact incubation. We don’t want flows more variable than natural.” Same for fall spawners.

Life, with or without man’s help, goes on. Or not.