Geese an icon of small-town charm

The city of Sandpoint is now engaged in removal of the domestic geese from City Beach. I am saddened! Domestic geese have been in the Windbag Marina and Sandpoint Marina since at least the 1930s, according to my late friend, Capt. Fred Kennedy.

Yes, they eliminated, but so do the 100-plus Canada geese roaming the beach any summer day, plus the seagulls and ducks. These geese get aggressive, yes, it’s called gooseishness. They protect their young at all costs. People also get chased by Canadas. It’s natural human/animal interaction.

I love domestics — their quirks, their cleanup duty and watching children throw bread to them and hearing their gabble.

I’ve never seen them do a drug deal or block traffic while screaming obscenities while trying to launch a boat. With all of Sandpoint’s quaint, small-town characteristics rapidly being destroyed, the geese are a nice reminder of small-town parks and Americana.

L. SCOTT HANCOCK

Hope