Hunter knocked unconscious by dead goose falling from sky

‘These birds weigh anywhere from 10 to probably 14 pounds... so, if they hit you on the head, it’s going to definitely cause severe damage’

Lucy Pasha-Robinson 

Saturday 3 February 2018 14:30 GMT

A hunter was knocked unconscious after a goose that was shot and killed fell from the sky in Maryland.

Robert Meilhammer was severely injured after the bird plummeted towards the ground after being shot by a group of hunters.

The 51-year-old was taken to hospital in Baltimore after suffering injuries to his head and face.

 “These birds weigh anywhere from 10 to probably 14 pounds. They can have a wingspan of up to six feet,” Candy Thomson, from Maryland Natural Resources Police, told local media. 

“So, if they’re 35 yards up in the air,  and they’re falling 60 feet and they hit you on the head, it’s going to definitely cause severe damage.”

It was unclear whether Mr Meilhammer was hunting the geese at the time of the accident. 

Maryland Natural Resources Police said it occurred near the Miles River where a group of people had leased private land to hunt a flock of geese.

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Hundreds turn up for unveiling of goose statue in tribute to bird who was killed by ducks

Helena Horton 

14 JULY 2016 • 10:37AM

Hundreds of people turned up to mourn a beloved goose who was 'murdered' by a gang of aggressive ducks in his old age.

The goose, who reportedly resided in Writtle, Essex for decades - with some believing the dubious rumour he lived to the age of 45 - was a much beloved resident.

He was well-known for photo bombing wedding photographs and chasing people around Writtle.

Godfrey the goose was killed last year by a gang of aggressive ducks - so the people of Writtle decided to erect a monument in his memory.

Bob Hibberd began fundraising for a life-size statue to be placed in the village pond last summer.

It was unveiled this week as hundreds of residents paid their respects to Godfrey.

Mr Hibberd managed to raise £500 for the sculpture.

The kind resident, whose partner Jean Cakebread has produced a book about Godfrey, said: "I think this will bring some closure to the villagers who were upset at Godfrey’s death. 

Readon …  

Goose of a different colour: strange bird spotted in Vancouver's West End

LARRY PYNN

Published on: June 17, 2016 | Last Updated: June 17, 2016 5:06 PM PDT

A goose sporting a strange collection of feathers is making for an odd duck in the West End.

The goose, sighted this week in the company of Canada geese at Sunset Beach, features an unusual pattern of white and darker feathers.

One theory is that it is leucistic, a term that describes a pigment abnormality falling short of albinism.

Another theory is that the bird is a hybrid love child, perhaps the result of the union of a Canada goose and a domestic goose or similar species.

“I don’t have much of a back story,” Greg Hart, urban wildlife programs coordinator for the Stanley Park Ecology Society, said Friday. “It’s just a neat bird that showed up.”

He sees reports of similar birds showing up in the region about once a year, each time sparking the leucistic-versus-hybrid debate on bird forums. “Typically, field marks are what you use to identify these birds,” he said. “This, of course, is displaying field marks that don’t fit any bird. That’s the quandary.”

George Clulow, immediate past president of B.C. Field Ornithologists, said that based on photos provided by The Vancouver Sun, the bird may even have some DNA of a swan goose (a wild species that breeds in China and Russia, but is also domesticated) or Asian domestic goose.

“Upright posture, long neck, bill colour/shape and foot colour are all suggestive of this to me,” he said. “Other parent perhaps Canada goose.”

Read more and photos … 

Please don't feed Hawaii's rare state bird, the nene, and don't run over it either

By Jay Jones

Hawaii’s nene is one of the rarest geese you’ll ever see. In the early 1950s, only 30 of the endangered birds remained in the Hawaiian Islands, their only natural habitat.

The state bird has bounced back since then, but now faces a new threat: motorists.

Park rangers on Hawaii Island are warning drivers to make way for nene right now, when the young fledglings are most vulnerable. 

The plea comes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after two nenes just 6 months old were killed last month by an unknown driver.

Two adult nene can be seen in underbrush near Crater Rim Drive in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. (Kathleen Misajon/National Park Service)

The endangered nene become more active, and therefore more visible, in late spring as fledglings, under the watchful eyes of their parents, test their wings.

The young birds can unpredictably land on roadways, according to wildlife biologist Kathleen Misajon, who manages the park’s Nene Recovery Program.

“Nene crossing” signs are posted in various parts of the national park to urge drivers to use caution. Visitors shouldn’t approach them or try to feed them either.

Read on … 

The post-mortem examination has shown the Sandon goose was not shot

A post-mortem examination has concluded the goose that was reportedly shot in Sandon is more likely to have died from natural causes.

News that a much-loved gander was killed in a drive-by shooting on Sunday, February 21 sparked outrage all over the country when it hit national headlines last week after the Mercury broke the story.

However, following a full forensic post-mortem examination yesterday (March 3) - which included a CT scan - it has been concluded that the feathered bird was not shot.

Veterinary pathologists at the Royal Veterinary College have still not pinpointed the precise cause of death, but have said a likely cause of death would be natural causes.

Read more: 

Staggering £275k reward to find 'evil goose killer' who gunned down bird in 'drive-by shooting'

19:24, 26 FEB 2016

UPDATED 19:41, 26 FEB 2016

BY RACHEL MCDERMOTT

The bird, who features on the village welcome sign in Sandon, Hertfordshire, died on Sunday amid reports he was shot in the head

Villagers have been left sickened after a much-loved goose was killed in a drive-by shooting.

The bird, known fondly as 'Goose' died on Sunday, amid reports from villagers that he was shot in the head with an air rifle by a man leaning out of a 4x4 vehicle.

His death has sparked a national outcry among animal lovers who heard he became part of the community in Sandon, Herts., where he even features on the village welcome sign.

And now there is even a staggering reward of £275,000 being offered to those who can find the culprits behind the animal's death.

Two members of the public contacted the BBC 's Jeremy Vine Show today to offer rewards - £250,000 from Peter Hunt in Eastbourne, Sussex, and £25,000 from John Barker in Cambridge.

Texting into the show, Mr Hunt said: "I would like to offer £250,000 to whoever catches the vile killers of the goose so long as it leads to a conviction.

"This incident makes me feel sick."

And after calling in to the Radio 2 lunchtime programme, Mr Barker said: "I am very upset about the whole situation.

"They are utterly scumbags and toerags.

"If the people responsible hand themselves in I will write them a cheque and hand it to them personally.

"They have taken the law into their own hands."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/staggering-275k-reward-find-evil-7450881

Woman called 999 over lonely goose

A woman called 999 to ask police to rescue a goose because it had 'lost its friends' and looked 'hungry' in Manchester.

The caller dialled the emergency number to tell officers she had spotted the lonely bird wandering around Blackley Cemetery, reports the Manchester Evening News.

She said she feared the goose was in danger as it didn't have any companions and looked like it needed feeding.

The woman didn't leave her name but was told the goose's welfare was not a police matter and the call was not an appropriate use of the 999 number.

She was also advised to call the RSPCA if she believed the bird was injured.

A GMP North Manchester division spokesman said such calls were a drain on police resources.

"Hoax calls are a misuse of the system and put the people who are in need of urgent assistance from the emergency services at risk," he said.

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Rogue goose attack or 'evil' breed of bird?

Geese were called evil, vicious and jerks online after the news that a goose attacked an Ottawa cyclist, sending her to hospital.

But Ottawa birder Jeff Skevington says while geese do become aggressive when their goslings hatch, serious attacks are not common.

You can listen to his conversation with Ottawa Morning's Stu Mills below and scroll through our recap of some of the reaction we received.

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Swan shot with crossbow in 'horrific' attack in Norfolk

A swan has died after being shot twice with a crossbow in Norfolk, just weeks after a goose was found nearby with a bolt in its back.

The disturbing attacks happened just two miles from each other and the RSPCA fears they could be linked.

Inspector Justin Stubbs said the swan, which was found swimming in a river in Upwell earlier this month, had one bolt in its shoulder and another deeply embedded in its rear.

He said: “I hadn't even seen the second bolt until the swan was examined by vets at the hospital. It was deeply embedded in the flesh and covered by tail feathers.

“Presumably someone must have shot this beautiful bird with this cruel weapon, and then calmly reloaded and shot him a second time.

“This is the most recent in what feels like a sustained attack on the wildlife in this area and I am very anxious to put a stop to it.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/swan-shot-with-crossbow-in-horrific-attack-in-norfolk-9361889.html

Big bird crashes through windshield

CBS News, news source8:21 a.m. EDT April 5, 2014

A woman from Golden, Colorado was driving along Highway 76 when a goose smashed right through her windshield.

(CBS NEWS) ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. - We hear a fair amount these days about birds and planes colliding...but birds and cars?

A woman from Golden, Colo., says she was driving along Highway 76 in Adams County Wednesday when she saw some birds in the distance trying to take flight. Next thing she knew, one of them - a goose - smashed right through her windshield.

According to CBS Denver, state police said Shannon Jergenson did everything right in that moment of crisis - kept her cool, stayed the course, hands on the wheel.

"The bird came up and just went 'bam,' right into my windshield," Jergenson said. "I turned my head and when I opened my eyes the bird was ... its head just kind of fell over."

After the goose wound up impaled on the steering wheel, Jergenson turned her head to stop glass from hitting her face.

"I could barely see because the windshield was mangled," she told CBS Denver.

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Golfer injured in bird attack sues the county

WAILUKU - A golfer who says he was attacked by a large bird at the Waiehu Municipal Golf Course is suing Maui County, alleging the county was negligent in failing to remove the animal from the course.

According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court, Wailuku resident Ray Sakamura was attacked after teeing off on the second hole Jan. 26. He suffered substantial bodily injury, including a compression fracture of his L-4 vertebrae, the lawsuit says.

The animal that attacked him is described in the suit as a "large bird that had taken up residence" at the course pond.

Continued:  http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/564961/Golfer-injured-in-bird-attack-sues-the-county.html?nav=10