Urbanized ducks and geese

[IceHawk]

Has anyone noticed over the years how the birds have become more urbanized. I have and it's really got me thinking. I really have noticed the security these birds have found inside the city limits. I have seen this security issue happening while hunting sorrounding areas outside of the city limits of the St Cloud and St Joe areas.

It seems alot of the birds are starting to form patterns that I have seen while hunting Laquiparle over the years. The birds have found safe havens inside the city similiar to a refuge. Don't take me wrong I feel strongly that we really need areas that are untouched so these birds have a place to rest.

Over the years of working construction I have watched alot of birds not leaving the sanctuary of the city. It seems they really have found what they want in the city limits (food, water, refuges, safe havens etc.) And has anyone ever noticed the amount of holding ponds that are within the city limits. It seems every development has one and the birds have found them makeing them tougher to hunt.

Take for instance lake George,the Bernicks pond and of course the might MISS. These are just some of the areas I'm talking about. I have watched these birds mostly geese lift off these areas to only fly a short ways to feed in the city limits. My thought's are its amazeing how over the years I have saw these flocks grow. Granted it's a good thing to see the numbers increase but with the developments and the city limits expanding every year how long before these birds become totaly urbanized and untouchable.

[lawdog]

I remember when I was in school at St. John's, I used to drive in to Cloud when everything was freezing and lake George would be LOUSY with big fat mallards and some honks too. They would keep that place open long after everything else froze, I had some great pics from there with huge Mallards standing right next to my car or landing over the roof etc.

The ponds in the new developments are required now to handle storm water retention/run off issues. They will keep popping up with every new development.

I still however think that although very visible, the urban ducks/geese are a tiny fraction of the overall population and always will be.

[Rost]

This is the way it is in Pierre. The whole city has been over taken by Canada geese. On the capital lawn is a good size pond that is always covered with them. Everywhere you look there are geese. Hell, the TF Riggs High School football field a few hundred feeding on it.

Besides your increased chance of geting pooped on, I think it's an awesome site! I took a bunch of pictures that I will scan and attempt to submit on this post.

[Gissert]

Fergus Falls is like that too, and has been for a long time. My daughter loves to go "feed the chickens some toast" at the levee, LOL.

I remeber playing high football 20 some years ago. Whenever we had a game at Hillcrest, our uniforms would have tootsie roll stains from the goose droppings. It really sucked to get tackled face down....

[catmaster1557]

My brother lives in Hutchinson and we were at the sanctuary one day. The ducks and geese were actually landing in the sanctuary and no intent of leaving. It was kinda weird standing there and having ducks and geese flying just feet above your head.

[riverrat56]

Speaking of geese in Hutch, a few years back i was playing a baseball game just a few blocks from the sanctuary and i had a pair of honkers land in the outfeild about 15 ft from me, funnies thing i ever saw on a baseball feild was these 2 geese walking around while the game went on around them