>>>>>>>>Geese, you got that right. And the noise is the least of it, if you know what I mean. When I was at Kraft we had a huge water retention pond in the middle of the office complex. (It was dubbed Lake Velveeta). The pond attracted geese by the hundreds. You had to watch your step along the footpaths, put it that way.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Speaking of annoying geese, Gary coincidentally happened to run across this site this morning: http://www.shoogeese.com/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Are those dirty, nasty Canada Geese stealing your peace? Tired of stooping to scoop goose poop? Would you like to see a decrease of geese on your property? Don’t throw in the towel over water fowl! Gain control with Shoo, Geese! Border Patrol!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Basically, they use Border collies to harass the geese until they leave for safer territory. The collies do what they normally do, the herding instinct you know ... geese don't like to be herded. <g>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>~~Bonnie
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Probably one of the reasons why we have a leash law. Don't want to injure the gentle geese-lovers sensibilities... :o) Here if your pet is chasing geese you can get fined. We have geese pathway signs all over the place! (and why I cannot drive to work without waiting for the geese to slowly move out of the roadway on a daily basis)
>>>>>
>>>>>Can't you just shoot them (I mean the geese not the dogs)? Or are they protected?
>>>>
>>>>Here,most migratory birds are protected (plus you cannot fire a weapon inside the city limits anyway):
>>>
>>>Interesting. I sort of assumed there would be a shooting season. Canada (and Greylag) geese, which are the two most common, can be shot here in season (Sept - late Feb I think)
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Canada geese are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and various state and federal laws. In accordance with these laws it is unlawful to hunt, kill, sell, purchase, or possess migratory birds, except as permitted by regulations adopted on an annual basis by the Secretary of the Interior. Harassment of geese to disperse them at problem areas is permissible. Currently there are closed hunting seasons in North
>>>>Carolina for both migratory populations. Resident Canada geese can be hunted throughout much of the state during a special season in September, before migratory birds arrive.
>>>>
>>>>http://www.co.guilford.nc.us/watershed_cms/bulletins/Canada%20Geese.pdf
>>>>
>>>>As to the non-migratory population, you really can't do anything here though because businesses actually tag most of them so they do hang around the lakes and ponds and harming or harrassing those birds will bring a serious fine (and the harrassment in the media and locals too). Can't fire a weapon inside the city limits either. If businesses see you harassing the birds, they will call the authorities too. Ridiculous. I've noticed that city dwellers have an almost religious fanaticism when it comes to wild animals, birds, and fowl. It's getting way out of control... (as I type this I'm listening to them outside my window now - just cackling away nonstop!)
>>>
>>>How do 'businesses' come into this?
>>>Anyway, I agree, town folks do seem to be getting more and more anthropomorphic. I blame it all on Disney.......
>>
>>Businesses which sit beside or near ponds and lakes will tag the geese as "property" so they do not get killed or harrassed by people (you pay a fine if you do). So, on the one hand we have businesses tagging geese (for preservation) and a study going on that tags geese (for ideas in maintenance because the numbers are dangerously high):
>>
>>http://www.ncsu.edu/project/canadagoose/info.php
>>
>>The photos on this page are a good example of the problem:
>>http://www.ncsu.edu/project/canadagoose/gallery2.php
>
>Things do seem to be getting out of hand. I'm still confused about the 'business' thing though. Do they own the ponds in question? IAC, how can someone 'own' a migratory bird ?

In most cases, the business does indeed own the pond or lake. However, I do not get the "ownership" of the migratory birds either, but I do know for certain that they consider it so and it is legally enforceable (as I watched a business get reimbursed for a bird that was hit by a car and the driver fined as well)....