Father Goose: One Man, a Gaggle of Geese, and Their Real Life Incredible Journey South
A sculptor describes how he adopted a gaggle of geese, flew with them using an ultralight aircraft, and eventually taught them to migrate
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This is the heartwarming story of Bill Lishman, a reclusive sculptor who adopted a gaggle of geese, flew with them, and actually taught them to migrate - earning himself the nickname "Father Goose."Bill Lishman has done a lot of things in his fifty-five years: earned an international reputation as a metal sculptor, built his family home, even designed and constructed his own refrigerator! But one dream remained unfulfilled. Bill wanted to fly with the birds.So he learned the art of powered ultralight flight, and one day he had an experience that changed his life. "I was flying in the midst of this huge flight of ducks, and that was so exhilarating that I decided, I've got to pursue this." Discovering that many birds are dependent on the migratory instinct for survival - a genetic imprint that has been threatened in many species - Bill decided that if he could fly with the birds, maybe he could teach the birds where to fly.In October 1993, after years of attempts and planning, Bill took off from his farm, Purple Hill, with eighteen birds following him in a V-formation. They all flew south to Virginia, and then Bill returned home. In the spring of 1994, the true test came - would the geese return? While Bill was down in Virginia looking for his flock, they flew back to Purple Hill, and brought some new friends with them, thus proving his theory! Eventually, the principles that Bill learned by working with the geese could also be applied to endangered species such as the whooping crane and trumpeter swan.
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