Here’s a sure sign of winter: the Sullivan’s Pond geese are heading off on their annual vacation to spend the colder months at Hope for Wildlife rehabilitation centre in Seaforth, N.S.
The six geese, which have become a familiar sight at the Dartmouth pond, were rounded up Tuesday morning by volunteers armed with blankets.
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While many birds will fly south for the winter, these geese enjoyed a van ride to their winter home.
“There were a couple tense moments, but it had a happy ending and that’s all that really matters. The geese went through it just fine, and we had a wonderful group of volunteers so we were able to get them rounded up,” said Hope Swinimer, the rehabilitation centre’s founder.
“They didn’t seem stressed at all. I think they almost know. We’ve been doing this for so long and so many years now that I think they’re getting pretty used to the routine.”
The centre was asked by the municipality to help house the geese several years ago. Since then, it’s become an annual ritual to provide them shelter during the cold winter months.
This year, Swinimer says they are playing “matchmaker” and introducing the geese to four new ones at the centre.
By springtime, when they are released back at Sullivan’s Pond, there will be 10 geese calling the pond home.
—With a file from Dave Squires