You might call him “The Birdman of City Hall”, but there’s another phrase that gets Brian Churchman springing into action.
Whenever one of his colleagues at Calgary’s City Hall phones his office and says “duck duck, goose goose,” Churchman knows it’s time to head outside and check up on the geese.
“She’s sitting on five or six eggs,” Churchman said. “She seems to realize we’re here to help.”
Geese have nesting alongside the stairs on the east side of City Hall for the past 11 years.
And for the last five years, Churchman has been leading the effort to make sure everything goes well for the birds.
As a veteran volunteer with an animal rescue group, he’s used to helping dogs and cats.
Churchman enjoys his annual spring routine of lending a hand when the eggs hatch, which will probably occur within the next couple of days.
“You pick up the little ones, put them into a cat kennel, put it on the wagon, and mom and dad – as long as they can hear the chirping – they continue to follow us,” Churchman explained.
He takes them a few blocks to the banks of the Bow River, and then releases them into the water.
“It’s very enjoyable to see them swim away.” Churchman said “Everybody turns and looks at us as they sail away”.
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