Wonderful to see you again. Coffee’s hot and the aromas are heavenly. Unless Madge is wearing the new ‘chocolate doughnut # 5’ by Chanel under her arms, it’ll be the tray of muffins and other treats she’s bringing out of the kitchen. Say…what do you know about geese? Careful now…
Did you know that bar-headed geese accomplish the extraordinary feat of migrating over the Himalayan mountain range twice a year, flying between their wintering grounds in southern Asia to their breeding grounds in the central Asian highlands? These birds have even been spotted over the summit of Mt. Everest, where oxygen levels are only about one-third that at sea level. I’ve got some bar-headed friends. At least, that’s where they’re usually headed!
In order to better understand the exceptional physiological capability of bar-headed geese, Dr. Jessica Meir of the University of British Columbia (UBC) embarked upon a study with the goal of flying bar-headed geese in a wind tunnel, while monitoring various aspects of their physiology.
Meir traveled to the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park in North Carolina to seek the bar-headed geese for her study, arriving just in time for the hatching of this year's bar-head recruits. Because she was the first person or thing that the goslings set eyes upon after they were born, the imprinting process was set in motion and Meir began her role as "Mother Goose."
Over the last seven months, Meir has spent her days with the gaggle, bonding with them and taking them on walks and outings. And when the birds began flying, she began leading flight-training sessions on a scooter with a bird at her side, at speeds ranging from 20 to 35 mph (32 to 56 kph).
“It is hard to miss the excitement in Meir's eyes as she cruises down the road on her scooter, the wingtip of one of her goslings brushing her shoulder at times, as she stares into the eye of this magnificent bird in the midst of flight, just inches away from her.” What kind of malarkey is that, eh? First of all, if you can see the excitement in her eyes, I guess that means you’re running along beside her, and on the same side as the flying goose, huh? Don’t step in the goose poop. Yes, indeed. Birds can poop on the fly. I’ve seen it happen and luckily moved swiftly out of the way. Kind of wish I could… no, never mind.
Secondly, why would she be ‘staring’ into the bird’s eye? I mean there she is travelling at 35 mph down the road. Oh, sure, I can see the occasional glance but staring takes time, doesn’t it? Seems to me she’d be better to keep her eyes on the bloody road! Wouldn’t want to be staring at a goose and hit a cow now would she? After all that is way out in the country, right?
Bob
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