- Jul 31, 2014
- 62
- 4
- 43
Hi all!
My geese are the last surviving 3 out of a flock of maybe 8 who were abandoned at a park at least 7-8 years ago. I look in on them and feed them since the park is unreliable--there's little chance to graze grass (and only sometimes water weeds,) it's unreliable about providing enough water/defensible space and the head of the park recommends feeding fowl cheerios (although I've more often seen birds given tortillas--hard to impossible to eat--and day-old bread.
I've started noticing that their stools are very dry, stiff and hard (they look painful.) At first I'd thought it might be the rare, thin slices of apple every few visits...maybe the pectin. However, today when I went to visit them they'd eat all they could of the scratch I had, then scoop up beak-fulls of dirt (dirt which the park sprays for insects and constantly exposes to waste water treated with a chlorine-type product (this is also golf course run-off water, so it probably has fertilizers in it and it's inundated with dog/coyote waste that's been left behind.)
***I'm just wondering, what could I supplement with in exchange for some of the dirt-eating? They're snooty about gamebird feed & won't eat it at all (the same with spinach.)
***One more question, more a matter of "what would you do" : My visits to the birds are brief, don't occur regularly everyday and are usually in the late afternoon (due to photosensitive lupus.) I peacefully sit down in an area on shore that's safe for them, but close to open water. Those brief episodes are moments of peace and love in a life that needs a good bit of both. Knowing them for nearly a decade, they trust me and they know I'll look out for them (esp. re: the 5 or so creatures/situations of which they're most afraid.) I feel honored they'd trust me to look out for them and am as vigilant a watch-woman as they've taught me to be. When I'm with the birds, I just want solace, our one-on-one moments, so I don't talk to others in the park at the same time.
***The problem comes with aggressively pushy parents/grandparents/children. Today a mother and photographer goaded a little girl to get closer and closer to the geese until she was only about 3 feet away (I've been there when this same child/mother/photog combo have had the girl terrorizing bunnies and chasing birds in pursuit of the perfect picture.) Today I tried shooing the birds toward the water, but they were really hungry (mornings here have been 40 deg.) I finally stated that I don't consent to photography (this temporarily stunned the trio, but not a lot,) then I peacefully explained that I don't go into their church, this (nature, feeding, bonding) is our church of sorts. They slowly backed off, yet hung around for me to see if/when I'd leave (luckily the birds had settled into the water for evening preening.)
***It probably sounds crazy in our camera-hungry world, but is it realistic to wish people would observe another person's personal space and not try using myself or the birds (either for a photo op or to try and beg food from me?) I'm on an extremely limited income--I can't/won't subsidize kids (or parents) who act like just because they're kids, the world should give way and give them everything (esp. when I have to live live hand to mouth, yet their parents/hired photogs are using cameras, reflectors and props worth several thousand dollars. Most importantly, I don't want to breach the trust this tiny surviving family has bestowed me with by randomly giving out food to kids who will use it to bait and torment them.)
***The birds just want to eat in safety. I like their personalities, family drama and history we've shared--we're an unusual, loving, adopted family. Wrapping up, I just want to be able to provide them with the food/minerals they're deficient in and the security of knowing they've someone who'll watch out for them.
***What would you do/say to maintain the personal space/peace of the birds?
Sorry for the long post,
Thanks *so* much!
lovedbygeese
My geese are the last surviving 3 out of a flock of maybe 8 who were abandoned at a park at least 7-8 years ago. I look in on them and feed them since the park is unreliable--there's little chance to graze grass (and only sometimes water weeds,) it's unreliable about providing enough water/defensible space and the head of the park recommends feeding fowl cheerios (although I've more often seen birds given tortillas--hard to impossible to eat--and day-old bread.
I've started noticing that their stools are very dry, stiff and hard (they look painful.) At first I'd thought it might be the rare, thin slices of apple every few visits...maybe the pectin. However, today when I went to visit them they'd eat all they could of the scratch I had, then scoop up beak-fulls of dirt (dirt which the park sprays for insects and constantly exposes to waste water treated with a chlorine-type product (this is also golf course run-off water, so it probably has fertilizers in it and it's inundated with dog/coyote waste that's been left behind.)
***I'm just wondering, what could I supplement with in exchange for some of the dirt-eating? They're snooty about gamebird feed & won't eat it at all (the same with spinach.)
***One more question, more a matter of "what would you do" : My visits to the birds are brief, don't occur regularly everyday and are usually in the late afternoon (due to photosensitive lupus.) I peacefully sit down in an area on shore that's safe for them, but close to open water. Those brief episodes are moments of peace and love in a life that needs a good bit of both. Knowing them for nearly a decade, they trust me and they know I'll look out for them (esp. re: the 5 or so creatures/situations of which they're most afraid.) I feel honored they'd trust me to look out for them and am as vigilant a watch-woman as they've taught me to be. When I'm with the birds, I just want solace, our one-on-one moments, so I don't talk to others in the park at the same time.
***The problem comes with aggressively pushy parents/grandparents/children. Today a mother and photographer goaded a little girl to get closer and closer to the geese until she was only about 3 feet away (I've been there when this same child/mother/photog combo have had the girl terrorizing bunnies and chasing birds in pursuit of the perfect picture.) Today I tried shooing the birds toward the water, but they were really hungry (mornings here have been 40 deg.) I finally stated that I don't consent to photography (this temporarily stunned the trio, but not a lot,) then I peacefully explained that I don't go into their church, this (nature, feeding, bonding) is our church of sorts. They slowly backed off, yet hung around for me to see if/when I'd leave (luckily the birds had settled into the water for evening preening.)
***It probably sounds crazy in our camera-hungry world, but is it realistic to wish people would observe another person's personal space and not try using myself or the birds (either for a photo op or to try and beg food from me?) I'm on an extremely limited income--I can't/won't subsidize kids (or parents) who act like just because they're kids, the world should give way and give them everything (esp. when I have to live live hand to mouth, yet their parents/hired photogs are using cameras, reflectors and props worth several thousand dollars. Most importantly, I don't want to breach the trust this tiny surviving family has bestowed me with by randomly giving out food to kids who will use it to bait and torment them.)
***The birds just want to eat in safety. I like their personalities, family drama and history we've shared--we're an unusual, loving, adopted family. Wrapping up, I just want to be able to provide them with the food/minerals they're deficient in and the security of knowing they've someone who'll watch out for them.
***What would you do/say to maintain the personal space/peace of the birds?
Sorry for the long post,
Thanks *so* much!
lovedbygeese