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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-11-11, Page 19, r, • 00,0, $ • now and the end of NOVerritter,., seldom a day will pass at Bruce and Grace McClinchey of 2, GOderich, won't see a flock of Id Canadaeese- land on the pond eidthe1r hOuse beautiful to watch them its Mil. Bruce smiles. "They all land the same way, feet up, skiing in. You'd swear they were on skis, the way they settle down on the water." HIS own flock numbers 100 this year, including 30 ordinary Canadas and 70 Giants. The Giants are distinctive because of their large size. Sem welgh as much as 20 pounds and have wing -spans of 6 feet. Their white foreheads are also •• • characteristic markingS. In 1950, Bruce bought his first pair of Canada Geese from Rondeau Provincial Park for $5 each. 170 geese is the largest flock he has owned, and each fall his geese are lolned by about 600 wild ones. In addition, he raises swans and peacocks, but he had misfortune with them- this year. Recently he found a dead peacock, which he suspects one of the swans killed: In the spring, one of his female swans hatched eight eggs, but two of the cygnets were kilted by the older • swans. The others seemed healthy until a few weeks ago they became thin; now aft are dead but one. The cause was diagnosed as lice, and Bruce is now treating the lone . by enscrupulitus hunters. On the survivor in an attempt to save its fit* day of this year's hunting life. His flock has thus dwindled to° seagon, four or five shots were four peacocks, four older swans and heard. Bruce thinks the hunters one Cygnetweren't shooting at the geese, but The geese seem easier to raise. He were hoping to scare them into an has sold a few, and the last sale sent unprotected area. a pair of Giants to a man living near "But the geese are too smart for Ottawa. Any money that Bruce that," he contends. "They'll lust fly gains from the sale of geese is put to another posted field." into improvements for the others.. He noticed one female, though, Fix example, three years ago he , that was shot in the back. Her wings financed the construction of a. pond, drooped at her sides. She couldn't fly that measures 300 feet by 100 feet with the others and lust hobbled and is 15 feet deep. around the edge of the pond. This summer he devised a scheme. After 26 years of studying Canada that he hopes will keep the pond open Geese, Bruce has learned a few of during the winter. He -and two other their habits. For example, a local men, Lloyd Sowerby and Ken preference for a certain type of feed Mutzelburg, installed three divides them into two groups - grass - hydraulic rams and laid pipe un- eaters and corn -eaters. During the derground. -They: used- a canoe to third week in September, the grass insert the upright pipe into the pond. and .wheat -eaters arrive followed Grace recalls watching. the around October 20 by the corn - procedure. "The canoe looked pretty eaters. shaky. but it didn't seem to bother Ile can predict the arrival and them," she laughsdeparture of the geese with amazing Initially Bruce used plastic pipeaccuracy. if a storm is reported in However, he learned that steel pipe Northern Ontario, the geese will increases the rams' pumping -speed, descend on McClincheys' pond in and he is now changing the system. three days. They always take ad - With plastic pipe, the rams operate vantage of a. northwest wind. When at 29 strokes per minute, while with the wind changes to southeast, they steel, they run at 59 strokes a rest in a baited area until it swings to minute. the northwest again. • The height of the fall dictates the • - .,,,, .,,, . . . heighfand amount of water that the They arrive in ftocks but leave in rams can pump. According to a book families of 6 to 10. The ones that Bruce studied, the five feet of fall he were raised together, leave provided should enable him to push together. water as high as 100 feet.4 Bruce has also recovered some interesting bands from dead geese. A female wore a Jack Miner tag that bore a Bible verse and was dated r‘, f transi 1964. He believes Jack Miner' began engraving the verses on the bands in 1917 or 1927. He found another Jack Miner band .on a gender. Because the bottom half of the band con- taining the Bible verse was worn off, he estimates the bird was about 40 yearsold. A different tag bore an address in Washington D.C. Bruce's neighbour, John Hindmarsh, wrote to the ad- dress and received some data in return. "1 haven't tried it yet," he adds, "but I plan to experiment." Although the rams are almost antiques, they function efficiently Maintaining a baited area for migratory birds is a hobby thathas fascinated Bruce and Grace Mc- Clinchey for 26 years. They share their interest with numerous people, including nursery school children from Goderich who visit. the Pond each spring to see the tittle on being hatched. Recently a group of Senior Citizens watched the geese flock around Bruce at feeding tirne. Both Grace and Bruce reiterate that everyone is „welcome. At this time of the year, visitors receive a special treat. The sky darkens as hundreds of honking Canada Geese circle the pond; then, with wings out -stretched and feet tucked up the flock settles down on the water hardly causing a ripple. As Bruce confirms, "Ws a beautiful sight to see, when the geese come in," Bruce feeds corn to his geese, while in the foreground is one of his older swans. He receivesno payment for feeding the wild birds, who also come every fall. • by Elaine Townshend Bruce and Grace McClinchey watch the return of a flock ot geese to their sanctuary:Several thousands geese stopover every year. t Bruce calls "almost *MI , he hopes to ri s winter. lite rains constantly pump water into tbe pond. le jo °pujtwater as hlgh as IN feet. pumping a steady flow of water through the pond. A nylon hose on the end of the drain filters the dirt. During the winter, one of the rams will also supply water to the barn. Other methods can be used to prevent a pond from freezing, such as pumping air into the water. But that requires an electric motor and means more expense. With his unique system. Bruce limits his maintenance costs. 'Anyone who thinks money is made from -having a baited area is wrong," he affirms. "No- com- pensation is grated for main- tenance or feed." Although 600 to IVO geese -gobble up a lot of corn, wheat. and peas. Bruce and Grace feel saving the geese is Worth the expense. No shooting is allowed within one- quarter of a mile of a baited area. The two farms flanking their property are also posted one is the belo ho:rsette .of their son, Ray; the other to a neighbor, John Hind- _ Every year a few geese are shot. $ •4,k. . V • Some of .1initel Hit geese feed an earn beside thesand. He has tat &Mitt and 31 ordinary 'Canada*, and at well, several - '.'ads wild Canadas stop at his farm during their t*tiatta**