Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!ncar!boulder!sunybcs!bingvaxu!marge.math.binghamton.edu!matt
From: matt@marge.math.binghamton.edu (matt brin)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Canada Geese
Message-ID: <1512@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu>
Date: 18 Oct 88 17:45:06 GMT
Expires: 31 Oct 88 05:00:00 GMT
References: <11030@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Sender: news@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
Reply-To: matt@marge.math.binghamton.edu (matt brin)
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Organization: Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, SUNY at Binghamton
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In article <11030@bellcore.bellcore.com> tr@wind.UUCP (tom reingold) writes:
>Do they [Canada Geese] still go from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada?
>
>Also, to the extent that they still migrate, they are migrating a
>lot this month.  I am seeing (and hearing) them fly in the dark of
>the night!!!  Is this a recent thing?  I am amazed.

Canada Geese have several disctinct populations in North America.  One
source lists over ten.  One population (about 1 million) winters on
Chesapeake Bay.  During migration most fly over a line that runs from
Bingahmton, NY to Elmira, but this is not constant.  Birds at Bellcore could
be from this population or a more "Atlantic" one.  (I once "counted" 5000
geese passing over Binghamton in one 45 minute period one Spring day several
years ago.)

Many aspects of bird populations change with time - including population
numbers, migration paths and dates, nesting areas and the like.  Some
changes are in response to human interference, but there is no reason to
believe that bird populations would remain stable in the absence of human
beings.  What about human behavior has caused the invasion of the North by
the Mockingbird?

You should suspect the apparent increase in incidences of "overhead geese
calls."  You might just be getting better at recognizing them, and may also
be more tuned in to the sound than you used to be.

Waterfowl are among the most studied of the bird groups.  Any library should
have several books on waterfowl alone.  I don't have names here, but try
"Kortright."  I think that is close.

matt brin / math. dept / SUNY / Binghamton, NY 13901
matt@marge.math.binghamton.edu      INTERNET
fac119@bingvaxb.bitnet              BITNET