"WE DON'T SEE AS MANY ANYMORE!"
In 1992, an attempt was made to find out if we really weren't seeing
as many Canada Geese flying in their unique "V" formations
across the San Fernando Valley sky.......and, THE CANADA GOOSE PROJECT
was born. Designed originally as a research study, teams of "bird
counters" fanned out into the Valley four times a week, dutifully
sending in their counts from October through March.
Those first few weeks, we started out arriving at the open-space
count sites at am, but of course everybody (but us, then) knows that
birds get up and out much earlier than that! A Department of Water
and Power employee at Encino Reservoir took pity on us and told us
to come back at 5:30am. then we would see some birds! Sure enough,
he was right. The high count that year was around 2500 Canada Geese
flying out from Encino at around am.
Over the last twelve years we have noted a drastic drop in our counts.
We cannot give a definite reason why. They may be here but further
south. Which leads us to stating WHAT The Canada Goose Project IS
definite about: HABITAT LOSS?
That is the reason we have a new division, THE MIGRATION FOUNDATION,
which deals with larger-picture issues such as protecting and restoring
habitat. Did you know that over 95% of all the Wetland Habitat along
the Pacific Flyway has been destroyed?
We need your help and your participation, if only to mail a few letters.
In return, you will be gifted with a feather, carried all the way
through the land of snows to our southern warmth. A lovely "Thank
You" from a wild and free bird, the Canada Goose.
