Brant geese stop in Parksville during their annual migration north. (Sandra Gray/Brant Geese Festival)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

BEACHES OFF LIMITS

Annual Brant geese migration affects Parksville beaches

Feb 15, 2021 | 9:07 AM

PARKSVILLE — Some local beaches are off-limits to four-legged friends in order to help visiting Brant geese rest and feed.

Dogs are prohibited from Rathtrevor Beach between Feb. 15 and Apr. 15, while similar restrictions apply to Parksville Bay Beach between Mar. 1 and Apr. 30.

The restrictions are to allow visiting Brant geese from California and Mexico to use the area uninterrupted.

“We have some beautiful ecosystems on this side of Vancouver Island where they stop on the way. It’s time to feed, fatten up so they can make their journey,” Ceri Peacey from the Brant Geese Festival, told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Thousands of the birds flock to the region en route to Alaska for a period of around ten weeks.

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“They are wild animals and they’re skittish and even a person, child or dog getting too close can ruffle their feathers and make them take off and we don’t want that, we want them to rest and feed.”

The first wave of Brant geese arrive at their breeding grounds in Alaska in May. The birds remain north until October or November before returning to California and Mexico.

Due to COVID-19, the annual Brant geese festival will follow the trend of similar events in the region and go virtual.

Activities planned include an interactive map for self-guided bird watching tours and the release of several educational videos about wildlife including the Brant.

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