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12- PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, May 26, 1993 SR us J. Peter Hvidsten Port Perry Star Bill Lishman is not one to give up easily. Since being shut-down by the government over two-years ago he's been working towards resurrecting his project to fly with Canada Geese, and finally it appears as if his efforts have paid off. In an interview with the Port Perry Star last week, Mr. Lishman said that he now has the proper approvals from the Canadian Wildlife Service and is close to receiving the bless- . ing of the American Fish and Wildlife Service for his next project. Many readers of the newspa- per will recall stories of Mr. Lishman's incredible project in 1988 when he hatched and raised a dozen Canada Geese, and taught them to fly in for- mation behind his ultra-light aircraft. The story was captured on film and a video called "C'mon Geese" was produced. Since then the story has been broad- cast in 18 countries and has 'won five international awards. PBS in the United States has just renewed its option on the film and will carry "C'mon Geese" as part of the program- ming for another three years. But Mr. Lishman's next pro- Bill Lishman begins to train the young goslings just days after they hatch from their eggs. - ject will go even further than his first attempt to fly with the geese. In 1988 he only had per- mission from the Canadian government to fly with the geese for 10 miles. This time he "will be undertaking to migrate aos miles with the geese this all. For this project Mr. Lishman has teamed up with Joseph Duff, a photographer and pilot who lived in Cannington before moving to Toronto. | Mr. Duff and Mr. Lishman, armed with the necessary per- mits, gathered 60 eggs from nesting - Canada Geese this spring which are now being incubated. When the Star visited the Lishman property last week 20 of the goslings were hatched and the necessary imprinting or conditioning which will lead to their flying behind the air- craft was underway. While the process is quite simple it is very time consum- ing. First they must gain the trust of the goslings, by feed- ing, talking and laying with them on the ground, and at the same time condition them to the sound of an aircraft engine (by use of a tape recording). As the imprinting continues the birds will be prepared for flight by following the "ultra- lights on the ground. Once they are ready, which should be about mid-July, the aircraft piloted by Mr. Lishman and Mr. Duff, will take on the par- ents role leading the, young "birds to their first flight. To the skeptics and environ- mentalists who may be critical of their efforts, Mr. Duff says what they are doing is the same as their natural mother would do. "When the young birds are mature and ready to leave, they leave," he said. We are not harming the geese at all, in fact we are helping them to learn to migrate again, says Mr. Lishman. While there are similarities to Mr. Lishman's first attempt to fly with the geese, there are many differences this time around. 'Most notably will be the design of the new ultralight aircraft they will be flying, which are being designed to look like large Canada Geese. Mr. Lishman has just returned from Dijon, France where Gerard Thevenot, a world renown hang-glider wing designer is constructing the wings for the two aircraft. He explained the construction of the wing is crucial because of the range of speeds they must be able to attain. The aircraft must be able to fly between 25 - 55 miles per hour, which is unusual for ultra-lights. The new wings are expected by June, and in the meantime Mr. Lishman is busy designing and building the trike (pas- senger compartment) and the long goose-like neck and head which will extend from the front of the craft. Two identical ultralight air- craft are being built at a cost of more than $20,000 each. When summer. The two men will teach specially constructed ultralights, seen holding a model of an ultrali Goose in flight. completed they will be painted to look exactly like Canada Geese in full flight. The ultralights will be outfit- ted with standard radios, a radio transponder and modified so only one stop will be required for refueling on their trip south. Beginning in July two months of daily training flights with the young birds will pre- pare them for the long migra- - tory flight in the fall. Mr. Lishman says they will start out on short flights, gradually building up for the 400 mile trek to Airlie Centre in Virginia about mid October. If there is one thing that bothers both Mr. Lishman and Mr. Duff, it's the prospect of fly- ing over Lake Ontario, someth- ing neither has done in an ultralight aircraft before. In an attempt to prepare for - any unforeseen events, Mr. Lishman is hoping to get the interest of some boaters to fol- low under them during the crossing in the event they need bs Bill Lishman, right and his partner Joe Duff are off on an exciting adventure this young Canada Geese to fly in formation behind two and then migrate with the birds this fall. Mr. Lishman Is ght, which has been designed to look like a large Canada to put down on the lake. He says it -would require a fast boat, but if there is anyone in the Scugog area who would - be interested to contact him at 986-4384. After arriving at the Airlie Centre, which is a popular win- tering ground for many types of waterfowl, the birds will con- tinue to be bonded to the ultra- lights by flying with them throughout the winter months. In the spring of 1994, the birds will then be broken into two groups. One group will be flown back to Ontario with their ultralight "mother" pilot- ed by Mr. Lishman and the oth- er will be left to see if they can find their own way back. During this period each of the birds will be equipped with radar transmitters and will be tracked by radio. Mr. Lishman says what they will be looking for is how many -of the birds they raised this summer will return to his pro- perty at Purple Hill by themselves. The second part of the project + J. PETER HVIDSTEN / PORT PERRY STAR will be to. monitor the birds who summer at Mr. Lishman's in 1994 and see if they will return to Virginia in the fall of next year. © i, Dr. William Sladen, the direc- tor of Airlie Centre will watch for their return, and also track any birds that don't return through the use of their rada transmitters. But for the time being, Mr. Lishman and Mr. Duff have 'their work cut out for them learning to live with and train about 60 young goslings, The Star will keep its readers informed throughout the year on Mr. Lishman and Mr. Duff's progress. 4 "C'mon Geese," the video about Mr. Lishman's first flight _ with geese in 1988 is available on video and can be purchased in Port Perry at the Super Video Store or the Port Perry Star. It is also available at Video Image in Brooklin, Oshawa and Whitby. Proceeds from the video are being used to help finance the current pro- Bis nl" --"-- ---- ---- --_-- A dh ---- ------