Canada Geese and the Eastern Shore

When people think of Maryland they think of crabs, but as summer weather recedes and the cool, northwest winds start to blow in October, Marylanders look away from the beach and up to the sky for the Canada geese to arrive. It's a sure sign that winter is on its way. Just take a look at all the geese around the ponds by the gates to Ocean Pines. What a sight.. With each new cold front, more and more flocks of the birds ride the tailwinds south from their breeding grounds in Canada. The journey takes them over major East Coast cities on the way to their wintering grounds on the Delmarva Peninsula, an area rich in farming and outdoor traditions like hunting and fishing. Large "V" formations dot the sky. One can hear the distinct honking as the geese communicate to one another as they trade places in line so the weaker or more tired can draft on the ones ahead. It hasn't always been this way.  Prior to the 1970's, North Carolina touted itself as the wintering home for the East Coast's Canada geese.  Lake Mattamuskeet, just west of the Atlantic Ocean, hosted much of the "dark geese" population back in the 50's and 60's. But by the early 70's conditions on the Eastern Shore made it more advantageous for the geese to "shortstop" here instead of migrating the extra few hundred miles to the coastal areas of North Carolina. According to the Waterfowl Harvest and Population Survey Data, published in July 2007, the winter Canada geese population in North Carolina was estimated at 152,000 in 1960. By 1981, the population had dwindled to about 47,000.  In Maryland, the earlier population figure was abvout 69,000, and the later figure was at a peak count of 607,700 birds. The numbers in Maryland today are steadily declining as each year more Canada geese are wintering in states to our North.  Perhaps the biggest change that occurred in the 70's was the advent of mechanical grain pickers.  With the development of large combines and tractors came a rush to put more land into agricultural production.

  And with the numerous small bays and rivers of the Eastern Shore, roosting areas were always nearby. An entire industry revolved around the geese, Restaurants, hotels, and hunting guides geared up for the yearly migration. By the early 80's, hunting became the number two source of commerce in Kent County alone (farming still holds the number one spot) "Sports" would come from all over the world to hunt geese on the water. Goose calling became a folk art. The traditional duck hunters that evolved from the market gunners of the past were now becoming goose hunters.  This evolution was far-reaching. A number of restaurants would feed your dog while you ate.  Some hotels laid out the welcome mat for a man and his dog, even fancy places like the Tidewater Inn in Easton. The town soon established a Waterfowl Festival, held every year in November, which rivals any decoy and sporting arts show in the world. Tens of thousands of people swell the population of Easton for the Waterfowl Festival weekend. In Cambridge, the Grand National Waterfowl Hunt is like some sort of pilgrimage for waterfowlers. The Canada goose has most assuredly breathed new life into local economies. Each October, on the heels of cool, northwest winds, look and listen-the true "Legends of the Fall" are steadily arriving and announcing their presence, like the loons of the northern lakes, honking to all who care to listen. Their call is unmistable, and we always welcome the Canada geese back to their winter homes.