I’ve mentioned my habit of wandering along Ayr’s Auld Brig, just to see if there are any swans wandering around the old slipway. It’s one of the things that’s become a habit over the years, and I’m there anyway, so it’s no effort to have a look.
I was fooled this time, and just not paying close enough attention.
There had been a pair floating around, and while the tide was out, it looked as if another was taking advantage of the dry slipway to catch 40 winks without floating around.
I took a pic, and carried on walking without thinking.
When I got home, I found I’d made a slight mistake.
In a recent post, I noted that I was being (reluctantly) forced to give up Strathclyde Park as a ‘Nice Place to Go To’ due to the increasing number of geese which have taken residence there, and the horrendous smell from the massive amounts of goose poop they leave all over the paths and grass. The last straw was finding I had to scrub my bike’s tyres clean of the stuff after every visit, as it doesn’t come off ‘naturally’, and dries on hard.
Seems I’m not the only one and, while I don’t normally pay any attention to online review such as Tripadvisor, was intrigued to see this pair of ‘reviews’ come up during a search.
In past posts, I’ve noted that in nice weather, the number of people I see in Strathclyde Park today appears to be much lower than it was some years ago, when I was a much more frequent visitor.
In fact, at the turn of this year, I noted how busy the park was in the colder weather following the New Year, when I had gone there for some peace and quiet, instead finding the place full of people walking around the loch.
Maybe they knew something I just learned, as the place was NOT covered with goose poop then, nor was the poop stench almost making my eyes water.
This seems to be an even bigger issue than I realised when I first mentioned it.
Get an idea by putting something like ‘pooping geese’ into your favourite search tool, and see just how much comes up, related to this problems in parks and places visited by people, especially children, who don’t understand the potential dangers of playing with the stuff!
Before you get upset, that’s not an insult, but a statement of fact.
I’ve been trying to get there around early evening for a while, but fail due to things like rain (I get there, then have to speed home as the rain arrives – my Rainman Curse), or I get there really late, just for the sake of cycling the miles.
At the same time, I noticed stuff stuck to my tyres, which didn’t go away as I cycled, and was unaware of the source, or what it was.
That was solved when I actually got to the park early!
I’d previously been using the path around the loch at the northwest end, which was very handy for my needs, and had been fine in autumn, winter, and spring, but summer?
NOPE!
I thought the place had smelt a bit ‘OFF’ during my last few visits, but last night was positively stomach turning. The stench of a sewage outlet (ammonia) pervades that whole end of the loch now, and extends well along the paths on both sides. Suffice to say I won’t be going back while the weather is remotely warm.
Sad to say, I know why, and solved the mystery of what was stuck to my tyres – this guy, and dozens of his/her mates, live around the loch, and constantly swarm from the water to the grass across the path around the loch. As they do so, they’re constantly pooping, and will do so every 12 to 20 minutes!
Goose
That’s a lot of poop, and that’s just one goose:
The average goose poops about every 12 minutes or so, which translates to more than 100 times per day per goose!
Foraging geese will eat about 4 pounds of grass a day and turn that into about 2 pounds of droppings – every – single – day.
That’s a lot of poop, but it’s also mostly water, together with lots of chopped up grass matter.
How many geese in the park? Not forgetting the ducks and swans (in lesser numbers)
I thought the stuff glued to my tyres looked liked chopped grass – seems I was right.
I’m also glad I started scrubbing it off too, as I didn’t realise I was picking it up in the park (it was too dark).
This is typically what the path looks like now, and this is about a mile from the northwest end of the loch! As has been said, pity we don’t have Smell-o-Vision.
Don’t forget the grass, which would look just the same if it was tarmac, covers a greater area, and presumably makes most of the smell – although the poop will be better dispersed there, than on tarmac.
Strathclyde Park Path
Don’t know if this give the full effect, but have a slightly closer view :-)
Strathclyde Park Path Goose Poop
As can be seen, the ‘sausages’ are soon flattened by the visitors, as they walk, or cycle over them.
Well, I won’t be back until autumn (maybe at the other end, which is busier with the water sports centre). The smell of all that fresh goose poop spread and walked everywhere is bad enough, but it’s no fun cleaning it off your tyres, once you know what it is!
My First New Theme Post
I hadn’t planned to do any new posts until I’d done most of the new theme configuration, but I guess this one has come along and made itself the first post to be made using the new theme.
Posts are probably going to be OK (although I still don’t like the unchangeable white background to the text). The thing that needs sorting is the Sidebar, full of junk from the earlier tests.
I’m not even bothering about the poor, forgotten footer for the moment, languishing at the bottom of the page.
And finally… Guano
I almost referred to this stuff as ‘guano’ but, I didn’t realise this applies only to seabird poop and bat poop. Sadly for the geese, they’re just full of sh… sorry, poop.
Much as I would have liked to have had a pic of the actual event itself, it’s hard to take a pic of yourself without forward planning.
I hadn’t realised there were gangs of criminal geese and ducks roaming Strathclyde Park under organised gang leadership of swan team leaders.
They’re deadly and they’re silent.
I’d been organising my stuff (in a backpack) at one of the loch side picnic tables, prior to heading for home, only to find I was face to face with a swan when I turn around on the seat – and it was backed up by a dozen or so geese, so I couldn’t get out.
I hadn’t heard a thing as the closed in around me!
Seems they’re just about tame, and the people in the car park bring them treats, so they’re used to waddling out of the water and approaching people and cars in the expectation of receiving goodies.
Have to admit I just backed away slowly in this case, having no treats to hand – and mindful of warnings not to tangle with wild swans, since they can apparently break an arm.
I followed the gang boss, and grabbed his pic once he was back in the water – at least I’ll be able to recognise him next time ;-)
Swan Gang Leader
It wasn’t long until the next time arrived, only a few days later.
I was well away from the loch this time, sitting at the entrance to the car parks, getting changed.
This time, the character waddled all the way across the car park and wanted to eat my gear.
Still didn’t have any snacks, but seems these guys can be diverted with harmless bits of bark, which they have to check is not food when thrown towards them, before they come back after you.
At least this one was alone, and didn’t bring a gang of geese as backup.
That wasn’t the only time.
When I stop at the boulders laid along the edge of the loch (at the car park, presumably intended to stop morons driving cars into the loch from the car park) and try to tie my laces, I’ve found that this is enough to attract these guys once again, and they’ll swim over and waddle out of the water towards you. I guess they’ve learned that anyone standing still for more than a moment is maybe carrying something to eat.
Secret Scotland 