2 families observing the guidelines
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Nice photo!
It’s that time of year. These guys had the whole river across the street, but they were floating around in a puddle in a field.
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Until they meet these. lol
No more social distance mmmm lovely.x
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Not my favorit birds. Sorry, I can’t get that excited over geese. They’ve over-populated almost all year round in such huge numbers here in the Northeast. And their darling little “land minds” fill many a shallow put-in, be it small pond or major river, that one has to watch their step where they’ve proliferated. ( I’ve even offered a friend who works for the local DEP office, the services of my two border collies to help chase them off the reservoirs.
Geese can’t “socially distance” themselves enough–I much prefer ducks and loons as my paddle-clad buddies…
And of course, my favorite “ducks” are these…
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Can’t stand geese… Fortunately it is illegal here to cut vegetation to the shoreline… Hence there is an alder barrier and no lush grass available for them. So we are not blessed with their output. They don’t seem to bother with sand beaches unless there is grass is on the other side.
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I had geese and goose shit on the top of my list for rather-have-them-elsewhere than where I launch. But then I tested a couple of boats at a spot on the Hudson where the swans had driven out the geese.
Happily the Vela rolled quite snappily (better than I can do now) on the first try. Because there was no way I was going to get more than one good one after I saw the massive lumps of swan shit.
After that Jim and I found a BCU coach up this way and dragged him out of inactivity to do our first star work. So we could do it on Lake George rather than that location, which was the nearest alternative.
In Michigan we don’t have much of a problem with goose poop at put-ins because all the put-ins are underwater. I don’t love them or hate them but I do prefer when they have their chicks and become silent versus having them scream at you every moment when they are nesting. I have a much bigger issue with the thoughtless golfers on the golf course than the geese; I had one golfer (I’m nickname him schmuck) drive a ball across the river right in front of me yesterday.
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Had not thought about golf hazards paddling. Happy to avoid that.
One of the two biggest risks for me are motor boats if I go to Lake George during a major holiday wknd or am careless in a couple of stretches around islands during a summer weekend. Paddling has overall cut back enough that is less of an issue, it is a decent drive. And with the virus no issue at all this year.
The other is small creeks meandering thru high brush during hunting season. Even wearing bright colors, I prefer kayak for that because I am lower in the water.
Visions of a golfer using a cart following GPS driving into the water…
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As Tom would tell
geese sit a spell
to green such hazard
with putts from Hell
whilst others muddle
in lowly puddle
spaced from clear waters
flocked mind’s befuddle
till Englishmen
from harbored yen
might cook one’s goose
or Cornish hen
or “Goose! Goose! Duck!”
head Spirits’ pluck
downstream unfeathered
with some looney luck
and some might say
we have come swann’s way
not per roost of Proust
but by dump in bay
all this to tell
oddly like Adele
once less six in spacing
now rolls in deep even swell
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I don’t know … there is a “crap” load of goose exhaust at the Lake Lansing launch. Had to wipe some off of my new kayak before I loaded. There were two large families wandering around the grass when I was unloading. Of course, the grass is mowed to the edge for picnickers, etc.
Goose poop is a nuisance but I prefer it to dog poop or human poop. Slobs…
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Because of breeding high volume geese day and night I never want to canoe the Missouri Breaks again!
Cattle poop bad enough but the racket drove us nuts.
It is a beautiful area , In the off season for geese
I’m not expert but from my experience it’s just barely-recycled grass and doesn’t even stink. I wouldn’t do anything radical like wipe off a boat. Pond scum is a different story…that stuff seriously stinks.
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My dog simply refusing to do the whole social distancing thing. I’m ok with it though, he’s still a good dog.
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I’ve had a golf ball land in the river within 25 feet of me at least half a dozen times. When I warn kayakers they usually say “I know”. It blows my mind a bit how golfers act like the nearby paddlers are invisible. I think that shamelessly loading up the river with thousands of golf balls that take 25 years to degrade while filling the drinking water supply with microplastic bothers me even more; the river flows directly into Lake Michigan a few miles downstream. I’m still looking for a device that lets me return golf balls to golfers. Maybe a thwart mounted trebuchet (or two) that use willowleaf’s recycled masks as slings. 
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So far few encounters with Canada geese. They’re still migrating north. A flock landed on the water here yesterday late afternoon for a short rest before continuing their journey.
Some geese are migrating thru but we have them year round because they will stay if they can find open water. We have some stuff that is moving just enough to have a large open area. Including on our reservoir - it is relatively shallow with a wicked short recharge period so where there is something like pipes bringing it under a road, there is usually an open area all winter.
It’s that the golfers are mostly drunk/blind/can’t play well–Check the handicap sheets of 80% of 'em(I caddied as a kid:) 'Course, you could always scoop the balls up out of the river, take a sling-shot and fire back a naval assault: “Torpedo away! Debt charge away! Goose poop away!” 