means to deter geese
Town officials continue to seek effective
means to deter geese
By carolyn o’connell
Staff Writer
OCEANPORT — If you’re strolling along or fishing in Old Wharf Park, be sure to smile for the camera.
In an effort to crack down on individuals vandalizing the fence installed to keep Canadian geese out of the park, the governing body and the police department are monitoring the park with a camera.
The idea to set up a monitoring system was shot down just a couple of months earlier, according to Councilman Philip D. Apruzzi, because it could not be decided who would do the monitoring.
The police department has found a way to make it work by mounting a camera in the park to record activity, particularly at the water’s edge, instead of having a live surveillance system, noted Apruzzi.
"This allows the police to backtrack, to identify perpetrators," said Apruzzi.
The equipment did not need to be purchased because the borough already had the equipment.
Damage to the fence may allow Canada geese to come back into the park from the river.
Apruzzi said it has been difficult to determine if the geese are entering through the fence or flying into the park from a different direction. "But my gut feeling is that they are walking over the damaged fence because I see feathers near the fence," he added.
In addition to the fencing, the borough had hired a contractor to apply Flightcontrol, a product sprayed onto the grass which, if eaten, distorts a bird’s vision and makes them vomit. However, that product has a limited effect since it wears away with time, rain and the cutting of the grass. The last application, which cost $480, was applied on Oct. 31.
The installation of the fence and the application of the Flightcontrol had been successful, Apruzzi said. The geese had moved on and the park had remained clear of bird droppings. The grass has grown lush again, the councilman reported.
Now, while some birds have returned, Apruzzi said that the numbers are much fewer than they were before.
In order for the borough to take additional measures to rid the geese from the park, the borough first needs to prove that the fence is not a viable deterrent.
Because the geese are federally protected birds, the borough needs to obtain permits from the government in order to take additional steps to remove the geese.
The camera has been in place for six weeks and no arrests have been made.