tr@wind.bellcore.com (tom reingold) (10/18/88)
Here at the Morristown, NJ location of Bellcore, we have a lot of Canada geese. I have become interested in them. I have always liked watching migrating water foul. I hear that the migratory patters of these birds (Canada geese) has been changing in recent years. Is this true? It seems likely, since I see them year round. Some theories I hear are: 1. People are likely to feed them more now than before. 2. They see the domestic geese get through the winter around here and "figure" they can too. (There's a domestic goose farm near here in New Vernon and the Canada geese have made good friends with the white geese.) 3. Changes in climate. Do they still go from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada? Any comments? 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. Tom Reingold PAPERNET: |INTERNET: tr@bellcore.bellcore.com Bell Communications Research |UUCP-NET: bellcore!tr 445 South St room 2L350 |SOUNDNET: (201) 829-4622 [work], Morristown, NJ 07960-1910 | (201) 287-2345 [home]
matt@marge.math.binghamton.edu (matt brin) (10/19/88)
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
gpasq@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) (10/20/88)
In article <11030@bellcore.bellcore.com> tr@wind.UUCP (tom reingold) writes: > Canada Geese... > >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. > >Tom Reingold It is not a recent thing that they migrate at night, but more likely that you are now more aware of them. Many (most?) species of birds will migrate at night, with the notable exception being the diurnal raptors (hawks). Moon watches have been going on for a while now. What you do is wait for a full moon, then aim a scope or some binocs at it, and count the birds, and sometimes even the species, as they fly across the face of the moon. Stand outside tonight, in a quiet area, and listen carefully. You will soon here occasional tweets and cheeps as migrating warblers and thrushes pass overhead. As a side note, I saw the Empire State Building lights on not too long ago. I thought they were supposed to be turned off during migration to prevent migrant mortality. Anyone know if that has changed? -- ========================================================================= Greg Pasquariello AT&T Product Integration Center att!picuxa!gpasq 299 Jefferson Rd, Parsippany, NJ 07054 =========================================================================