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Protective gander rules the roost on Milford

Milford Avenue used to be a quiet cul-de-sac where residents could walk, with dogs and toddlers in tow, down to the lapping shoreline of Como Lake. But ever since the new neighbours moved in, things have run a-fowl. Children run home crying.

Milford Avenue used to be a quiet cul-de-sac where residents could walk, with dogs and toddlers in tow, down to the lapping shoreline of Como Lake.

But ever since the new neighbours moved in, things have run a-fowl.

Children run home crying.

Dogs get attacked in the street.

And newspapers don't get delivered around here anymore.

Every spring for the last four years, this single-block suburban street has been terrorized by a highly territorial, two-winged menace.

"I warn people who go by with kids or dogs: Anything under three feet and he'll go after it," said Milford Avenue resident Susie Parks, who lives next door to where an aggressive male goose - a gander - lives with its mate in a large nest on the peak of the neighbours' roof.

Those neighbours don't seem to mind the bird but everyone else on the block keeps an eagle-eye out for it, Parks said.

"People wheel baby buggies by and all of a sudden it'll go after the kid," she said, her husband, Larry Parks, adding, "A child will be walking a dog along here, the goose goes nuts, the kid starts crying, somebody runs out with a stick or a rake or something."

While the Parks admit a fondness for the hot-tempered gander, the bird has made things inconvenient at times.

"Suddenly, there was no newspaper coming and I called them and they said, 'Well, we can't deliver your paper because the goose is going after the child,'" Susie Parks said, laughing.

But things have perhaps been hardest of all on the Parks' 15-year-old pooch, Charlie.

Part Labrador, part cockapoo, the "half-deaf, half-blind, friendliest dog in the world" sheepishly emerges from the couple's garage and the cantankerous Canada goose immediately takes offence from across the street.

Hissing, wings spread wide, the goose gallops fearlessly in front of a fast-approaching car and charges Charlie, who cowers, crouches and evacuates his bowels on his owners' driveway. A brief stand-off ensues but Charlie's interest in the outdoors soon wanes, leaving the neighbourhood - and his driveway droppings - for the birds.

Coquitlam's parks and urban forestry manager Lanny Englund said it's not uncommon for geese to be more aggressive in the spring, when they are nesting, but, so far, no complaints have come in to the city about the Milford Avenue menace.

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