If you have been walking between buildings, you are familiar with our resident flock of Canada Geese. Their nests are on the reservoir just across the road. They often come to our open lawns to feed. Unfortunately, they also use the grass and the sidewalks to leave their copious droppings.

In and effort to manage the geese AND their droppings, Facilities will be placing eight coyote decoys on the site. Coyotes are a natural predator of Canada Geese and have been used on other sites as a method of control. Coyotes are native to the site but are usually only seen at dawn and dusk, with a characteristically furtive behavior.

The coyote decoys are life size and very realistic. We will be experimenting with this technique of geese control starting in late September 2003. Hopefully the coyote decoys will encourage the geese to seek their lunch elsewhere.

We are especially asking REWHC members to report "where the geese are" before the decoys are deployed. On Tuesday September 23, we will initiate a special mailbox to report goose data. When you see any geese, make a note of the time, location and number, and e-mail to

geese@rewhc.org

Coyote decoys were deployed at approximately 8:30 AM on Monday, September 29, 2003, in eight locations. Preliminary indications are that the decoys are in fact discouraging flocks of geese from landing. My own observation from
Building 4 was that two small flocks of about 20 each were flying in over toward the large meadow near East Main Road and both veered off and did not land. Several others have submitted similar observations, in one case stating that the geese were honking and squawking as they flew by.

Number of people observing fly-by's 4
Number of flocks flying by 5
"normal day" 200 geese (last week)
observed today 0 geese on ground

Please continue to submit your observations to geese@rewhc.org

Our coyote sentries are continuing their good work. Many flocks of geese have flown over, "taken a gander" and decided to stop somewhere else for their break. One group has decided it is safe to feed between the two sentries along the northern access road. Several employees feel that these are island geese and don't like to travel too far for lunch.
Several people from the community who work at NUWC have mentioned that they have a similar problem and were interested in this apparent solution.

Our coyote sentries are becoming even more famous. A photographer from the Sakonnet Times visited the site today to photograph one of the pack, so watch for his photo in one of the upcoming issues.

I believe the sentries must have spent the holiday break in their dens, however, since our sidewalks and parking lots are well covered with evidence of recent goose visits. In fact, the geese are becoming overly friendly with the sentries. Harry has requested that the coyote near Providence be rescued because the geese are picking on him. There were almost 100 geese near the Ligon Trail on the east side of Providence just before lunchtime today, just across the road from the coyote sentry.

Although the geese may be wise to the coyote sentries, I also think the geese are also responding to the absense of people over the break.

Here is what I think we should try:
1. Relocate Harry's sentry (east of Providence)to the area between the Ligon trail and the access road.
2. Add one of the new sentries to the area along the Trail between Constitution and Building 4 (a flock of geese is often feeding in this area).
3. Locate one of the new sentries to the grassy area east of the Nimitz building near the north entrance. This might help discourage the goose activity in the walkways and parking lot in this area.

Greg and Tom, stalwart Friends of the Sentries, have been out to refocus the attention of the coyotes to their duties. They have reassigned Harry's friend to the east side of the road and told him not to take any back-talk from the geese. They have added two new sentries, one near the horseshoe pit and another near the walking path to Building 4. They have reinstructed each of the coyotes to their duties and threatened to export them to Foster/Gloucester if they fail to perform.

A large number of goose-watchers have reported large flocks near the water tower and in the fields near the roadway. Several people have suggested firing the sentries because their performance is slacking off.

I think that it is tough to be an on-duty Sentry Coyote when your paws are frozen to the ground. Until we install paw-warmers, the sentries are grounded and are indeed less effective.

One suggestion has been to tie a flag of some sort on their tails to give an impression of motion. I do think that the lack of motion is a potential drawback to their credibility, but I am not sure whether a ribbon or flag would work.

This morning, a real live coyote (looking just like its plastic littermates) was observed crossing West Main Road south of the entrance to the plant in mid-morning, looking somewhat bedraggled. This is obviously a tough time of year for these creatures.

At about the same time, a very large and healthy looking doe White Tail was browsing on the Red Cedar at the top of the Tower Trail. She was feeding in broad daylight, and extending quite high to reach fodder. Last week there was a group of four along the edge of the woods near the Providence Building. I saw two along the STP road on Monday.

The pack is back. Four of our coyote sentries have been relocated to the grassy area between the Constitution Building and the main entry. A group of about 20 Canada Geese has been hanging out in this area recently and we want to encourage them to feed elsewhere until the picnic is over.

REWHC recently had an e-mail from the Science Club at Somerset High School in nearby Massachusetts, requesting the donation of a coyote sentry like ours. Elaine Rezendes is a biology teacher at the school as well as the Science Club advisor. The Science Club has installed a small pond inside a courtyard in the school. Last summer, a Canada Goose moved in and nested, fouling the water and almost ruining the pond. The Science Club wants to see if the coyote sentry will discourage visits by the Canada Geese. If you want to follow the exploits of the newest member of the pack, check out
www.scienceclub.homestead.com

Nan the Goose Dog normally works in Massachusetts, but heard that NIC had lots of very pesky Canada Geese, and that they had adopted our coyote sentries as their pals. So Nan came to pay a visit. She was able to move the geese on out, and is promising another visit soon. To learn more about Nan, visit her website at http://c3edlwww.res.ray.com/Nan.