By Alex McCuaig

Bird Count

Tens of thousands of Canada geese flock to the city, up nearly as much from a decade ago

Dec 22, 2019 | 4:15 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – Aside from a ruddy duck not usually seen around these parts this time of year and some lingering snow geese likely migrating south late, Medicine Hat’s 2019 Christmas Bird Count reflected a pretty normal result.

However, the 38^th annual count has shown what many Hatters have already suspected: There are a lot of Canada geese visiting the city over winter.

“When the count started here in the early 1980s, it was rare to see a Canada goose (during the Christmas count),” said Marty Drut, Police Point Park interpreter. “And in the last ten years, there has been tens of thousands of them.”

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Drut said this year saw fewer geese counted than last year but the historical trend is way up in numbers.

“There is a few reasons. One thing is they are finding a place to roost which is open water – various reasons for that – and they are finding food,” said Drut.

In addition, Drut said there is a documented behaviour with geese called short stopping.

“There is a cost to migration and they are deciding they can make a go of it here because they are finding what they need,” he said.

Also, the count reflected that magpie populations have fully recovered from the West Nile virus epidemic which reduced the bird’s numbers as well as more ravens are being spotted.

For birders who may have missed last week’s count, the Manyberries Bird Count is expected to take place on Dec. 28.