NESTING CANADA GEESE IN HONEY LAKE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 11 



Flushing Distance 



Williams and Marshall (1937) report that average flushing dis- 

 tance during the early part of the nesting season, in April, was roughly 

 50 feet, and that nearly a month later the distance was reduced to an 

 average of approximately 32 feet. 



Although the writer did not keep a detailed record of flushing dis- 

 tances, it is safe to say that the average flushing distances were con- 

 siderably less than those reported above. In fact, during the incuba- 

 tion period, it was possible for the observer to walk or ride to within 

 five or six feet of many nests without flushing the goose. 



Fig. 8. Goose nest on island in Hartson Reservoir photographed after incubation 

 started. The goose has been disturbed so has not had time to cover eggs 

 before leaving. Photograph by James Moffitt. 



This difference in flushing distances is probably due to the fact that 

 Honey Lake Valley is an agricultural area and the geese quickly 

 become accustomed to the almost daily presence of human beings in 

 the vicinity of their nests. 



Nesting Types 



Eight distinct cover types were used by nesting geese (Table 1), 

 but there was considerable variation in the selection of sites within 

 each type. 



A. Tule : This type includes round-stemmed tule thickets border- 

 ing canals, sloughs, and lake shores, and clumps of round-stemmed tule 

 located in the marsh or meadow types. In 1939, 43 or 25.4 per cent of 

 the nests were found in this type, compared with 99 or 39.8 per cent 

 in 1940, an increase of 14.2 per cent. In 1940, cooperating ranchers 



