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Sater cS lL a i... ee -- -------------- EAA IT "A Family Tradition for 127 Years" Final preparations underway for J. Peter Hvidsten Lishman migration with Canada Geese Port Perry Star One morning this week, Bill Lishman, Joe Duff and 23 Canada Geese will take off from the Lishman property at Purple Hill to begin a 400 mile migra- tory flight to Arlie, Virginia. r. Duff, a very successful photographer and pilot, gave up his job earlier this year to take on the Goose project with well- known area resident Bill Lishman. It's been six months since the young Canada Geese started hatching, and since then it's been a labor of love to bring the project to fruition. But it hasn't been an easy year for the two entrepreneurs. Of the 36 birds they originally hatched, only 23 remain. A few were lost after someone released them from a pen and others have just flown off on their own, never returning. "We knew we would loose some, but thought we would have more than 36 for the migration," Mr. Lishman told the Port Perry Star last week. Another problem centered around the special aircraft wings ordered from France and were late arriving. By the time they arrived, the birds were too old and they couldn't get them to join up in formation behind the aircraft. At one point, Mr. Lishman . said they were ready to give up on the project if the birds were not flying within a couple of weeks. But their efforts finally paid off in late August when the birds finally began to fly in formation. Since August both Mr. Lishman and Mr. Duff have been flying with the birds twice a day, preparing them for their flight south. Aerial photograph taken by Joe Duff of Bill Lishman during a training flight with some of the Canada Geese in their flock. Mr. Duff said they undertook their longest flight last week, flying in formation with the birds to Beaverton. But landing on the airstrip of Herb Cunningham proved to be a frustrating experience. The geese, having never land- ed anywhere but on their air- strip on the Lishman property, refused to land. ; On numerous occasions, the geese appeared as if they would land, only to lift off again just before their feet hit the ground. It took 45 minutes of coaxing to finally get them to land in the strange surroundings. The exact date of the migra- tion will not be decided until weather conditions are ideal, but both Mr. Duff and Mr. Lishman have been putting all their efforts into preparing for the flight, which will take them across Lake Ontario. Accompanying them on the trip south will be a ground crew consisting of six people in two motorhomes, -and a. spotter. plane flown overhead by Clark Muirhead to keep the ground crew informed of progress and location. For the lake crossing, Mr. Lishman has arranged with Jim Bishop of Scugog Island and another man to follow them in high speed boats. This precau- tion is being taken in case one of the ultra-lights is forced to make a landing in the lake. "Of course this won't happen," Mr. Lishman says jokingly. But the two men will be dressed ,in floater suits which will lg¢ep them warm and floating until help arrives, just in case! The two ultra-light aircraft are equipped with a GPS navi- gations system (receives satell- - rying flight. The Port Perry Star will "keep its readers informed as to 'when the show will be aired. ite navigational signals), an aviation radio and when fully 'fueled can. travel approximately 500 miles on the 7.6 gallons of a nn . ~<e . ---- ot > } ~ gas the carry. Both Mr. Duff and Mr, Lishman said they are excited and anxious about the challenge which lies ahead of them. Mr. Lishman is currently in negotiations with- a couple of U.S. magazine shows about car- ng the story following: their Ready to go! That's what Joe Duff (left) and Bill Lishman say as they finalize plans to migrate with their hand-raised and imprinted Canada Geese. During their flight, the two men and the geese will be tracked and followed by two motorhomes, one light aircraft and two high-speed boats during their crossing of Lake Ontario. J PETER HVIDSTEN / PORT PERRY STAR Joe Duff (left) and Bill Lishman are in the final stages of preparation for their 400 mile migratory flight with a flock of Canada Geese. They are seen here with part of their flock prior to one of their daily training flights. In the background are the two specially designed ultra-light aircraft they will use as their wings, while migrating with the birds across Lake | Ontario to the United States.