'The geese need to go'

A gaggle of geese march across Watson Park in Port Chalmers yesterday. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
A gaggle of geese march across Watson Park in Port Chalmers yesterday. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
They're back, but what was good for the geese before them may again be good for the gander.

A gaggle of four geese has again taken up a position in Watson Park in Port Chalmers, waddling their way around the rugby ground and leaving a trail of distinctive deposits behind them.

Lance Spence
Lance Spence
Harbour Rugby Club chairman Lance Spence said a Delta worker had been visiting the ground each morning for more than a month, spending hours there each day cleaning up after the birds.

Their return came two years after up to 10 birds made the ground their home in 2016, defying efforts to relocate them until they were eventually shot by contractors.

Mr Spence said the reappearance of geese on the ground was ''so frustrating''.

Their prolific production of droppings caused problems for children and rugby teams wanting to use the field, and also damaged the grass itself, he said.

''They eat away all the grass and destroy the ground.''

He had a simple solution when asked what the Dunedin City Council should do about them: ''Shoot them.

''The geese need to go,'' he said.

Fortunately for Mr Spence - but not for the birds - that could yet be the plan.

Mr Spence said he had been told a cull was expected ''soon'', and it couldn't come quickly enough.

DCC parks and cemetery manager Scott MacLean disputed that, saying there were ''currently no plans'' for a cull, although it remained ''a management option in the future''.

''We will monitor the situation and, if necessary, consider the best way to manage the birds.''

chris.morris@odt.co.nz

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