04-12-2000 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The geese frequently returned to the pond either to rest, drink, or avoid danger (i.e., dogs). Occasionally, the geese spent little time at the test field, choosing instead to forage on the ball field and open grassy area on either side of the research plots. This behavior accounts for much of the variation in both goose and fecal counts. Following•" both_..MA_ applications,_ numbers_ of._Canada.- .geese_decreased -at King' s -- Park: - -- The --response-wasmost- dramatic_ during,Experiment_24Fig._2)_ using ,a -high, MA - concentration..with_.a. -tow- volume-- spray-technique_(Table 1 ): Behavioral- observations- indicated-the--MA -was - extremely- aversive-°to the .geese. -During°" the - initial - feeding.. bouts ... _following _.treatment, -- .geese would ° shake` their'' "headrand "rapidly° pass° through-treated-areas. Sometimes °-geese- tharhad costa cted "MA -would °•quickly °walk -to-the pond, where- much- ° splashing- °and-preening would -follow, as the - "- birds- attempted_to wash-the-MA- from - their- feathers,» During days 165 -175, fecal counts on all plots (0.4 droppings /m2 /day) were significantly lower (F= 23.46, P =0.001) than pre - treatment levels (0.7 -1.1 droppings /m2 /day). Also on 24 May (JD 144, Fig. 3) the number of droppings tallied was very low because this count was taken the day after the plots were set up and raked, and the geese spent little time foraging at the study site prior to the .count because of this disturbance. Usually plots were sampled and raked every 3 -5 days. The greater number (F= 13.6077, P= .0003) of droppings on treatment instead of control plots: on JD 154 can be explained by the large number of geese that frequented the park that day (Fig. 2), as well as the tendency of geese to forage on treated plots and an adjacent field following MA application on day 153, rather than feeding in the control area. However, behavioral observations on days 153 and 154 indicated that the geese moved through the treatment plots shaking their heads, and made frequent trips to the pond to wash and preen. Because this experiment occurred immediately prior to the summer molt (replacement of flight feathers) for geese, it is particularly noteworthy that geese left the study area in King's Park to seek safe haven elsewhere. Another pond was situated approximately 300 m south of the study plots in King's Park. While small numbers of geese foraged at this southern pond during days 144 -159, most geese used the King's Park pond for resting and refuge. After the second application of MA on day 159, goose numbers at the southern pond increased and feeding intensified in that area. When disturbed, the geese sought refuge at the southern pond, rather than retreating to the King's Park pond as had been observed previously. Page 80