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Lewiston Louie finally identified!
By Mark Daul, Outdoors Niagara

Louie has caused quite a stir with the locals both on the Canadian and U.S. side of the Lower Niagara.

It is found he has dual citizenship and a landed immigrant residing in two countries. This winter it seems he has taken up residence at the Lewiston Landing. Last year he spent most of his time on the Canadian soil at the Queenston landing. In fact, from a report, he was seen with his disappeared or deceased mate in February 2008 living at Queenston. [See picture below]

On the Outdoors Niagara outdoors forum it was first announced that this magnificent, apparently domesticated goose, had found residence at the Lewiston Landing. It was identified as a “Barnyard Goose” by lifetime outdoorsman Gerald Condren of Youngstown, he said it was so tame that it was domesticated and that is generally where you will find them, in barnyards and such. Then an email came through describing it as a “Grey Lag from Europe” [Anser anser]........ I mentioned the Gray Lag to Condren and he said, "yeah, that’s what it is, a so called Barnyard Goose.”  

Through all the forum postings Louie became famous and an overnight star in a matter of weeks. He is being taken care of, fed and watched by the visitors and boatmen at the Lewiston Landing just as he was last year at the Queenston Landing on the Canadian shore.

One of those email postings was from JB on January 3^rd stating:  “I think you better call Homeland Security. Your Lewiston Louie was living at the Queenston boat launch a year ago. Lol” ...... We don’t know who "JB" is but thanks for the info JB. …….. That posting was followed by Lucky Eddy’s post 25 minutes later with; “JB you're right. That’s what I said in an earlier post, he took up with that flusie, Lady Louise from Queenston. Maybe she has a new passport card. I don't know if they issue green cards anymore.”

That “flusie” eventually named in a mini-poll quest for a name and it ended up to be named “Lady Louise” by popular vote. The flusie is a seagull that seemed to take up the same space on the dock as Louie and they are frequently seen together at the dock. Lucky Eddy posted “I think she is a Canadian girl from Queenston” The other seagulls mostly fly away when people try to get close to Louie but that “flusie” Lady Louise just stays near Louie unafraid.

On January 15^th. I received the following email from a Joanne Cannings and husband Gord Brown from St Catharines Ontario after seeing the story on this website: 

Hi Mark,

My husband Gord, said that he was surprised and delighted to know that the goose was safe.  He was on the Queenston side last year for the winter.  He would come visit the guys fishing and would eat peanut butter sandwiches.  Someone said that he had a mate in 2008  and, this is just hear say, but the female was caught and killed by someone there.  The goose was so lonely and you could hear him honking and come in for a landing.

I have attached some pictures that Gord took of him last year (2009).  The first picture was him and his mate that was killed 2008.  The others were back in February 2009.  Looks like he has a new lady friend from the US and hope he comes back to Canada to visit soon! Ed Note: Lady Louise?

We are so happy to hear that his is OK and the guys at the Queenston boat launch that fish EVERYDAY...ALL YEAR...will be pleased to hear as well.

PS; We are from St.Catharines

Joanne Cannings, Gord Brown

NOTE: Sometimes Louie disappears from the Lewiston ramp for a day or two, sometimes three and no one knows where he goes but now it is suspected he goes back to the Queenston dock….maybe looking for his dead mate from 2008? If he could only talk.

Anyway, Louie has gained many friends that are delighted with his presence at Lewiston and one day I was there, a daddy had his boy and girl there coaxing it and trying to hand feed it but at that time his belly must have been full. No interest, but the children were delighted. Shamefully, I had no camera that day.

Thank you Joanne & Gord for the pictures that we can all share here.

    This is an Earlier story printed here in DECEMBER 2009
The story of Lewiston Louie and Lady Louise
By Mark Daul, Outdoors Niagara December 2009

Sometime in late November 2009 a couple of Geese were reported at the Lewiston Landing in Lewiston N.Y. just hanging out. They were beautiful it was reported and they were pretty tame. A couple of onlookers brought food and the geese were happy to get it.

According to some locals, these birds came from someone’s farm, were just dropped off, or just took off from a farm looking for a change. Barnyard Geese because of the friendliness it is assumed.

One day, one of the geese disappeared without a trace and to this date it never returned. However, the one that stayed was a very friendly guy and seemed to greet visitors while looking for handouts and a curious guy indeed.

This fellow seemed to take up residence there even when all the heavy construction was going on while the Lewiston launch ramp was being renovated.

Some people grew fond of this goose and wanted a name for it. Along came Outdoors Forum poster "Badboy" and appropriately suggested it be named “Lewiston Louie” and fondly referred to as the new Lewiston Harbormaster.

As Lewiston Louie got more familiar with the seagulls, some seagulls started hanging out with Louie and it was noticed one of them was seen frequently with him. If Louie moved to the south end of the pier, the gull would move with him. If Louie moved to the north, there was the same gull, just following him around. Admittedly, it is hard to tell one gull from the other but this one seemed to nonchalantly move when Louie moved, and watching his every move. It was suggested the seagull be given a name too. Outdoors Niagara held a name the seagull contest and names were suggested and of them “Lady Louise was voted to be the most wanted name.

Out of 94 votes cast within a week, “Lady Louise” accumulated 37% of the votes and “LouLou” came in a close second place with 32% of the votes cast. Lady Louise was submitted by Lucky John Eddy and LouLou was submitted by pen name, Louie. Badboy had a great name "Sidekick" however votes weren't enough.

So now our resident seagull has a name too as Lady Louise and Lucky John Eddy suggesting “I think she is a Canadian girl from Queenston”…….. Could be Eh?

Louie disappeared for few days and a small panic set in. The weather got down into the teens and windy and some felt he was gone, either it left or succumbed to the cold or someone was having a New Years feast and Louie the guest of honor. But none was correct because a few days later, there he was perched at the end of one of the boat launch piers grooming himself and looking fit. [See pictures below]

Someone suggested The Village of Lewiston prepare a bedding spot for him but knowing that was unfeasible it was suggested the people that enjoy him build him a way out of the weather but no one has come forward to do it. We’ll wait and see.

In the meantime, get down to the Lewiston Launch Landing and say hello to Louie and he will eat out of your hand. He likes grain, likes dried corn off the cob and some breads. Remember, Louie isn’t like other birds or squirrels, he can’t peck the corn from the cob.

What a friendly attraction.

To sum things up - Lucky Eddy won the lure offered for naming Lewiston Louie's friend "Lady Louise" Close second was "LouLou" by Louie and the guy that named Lewiston Louie the Harbormaster" was Badboy. All three of these guys will receive a new Heebee Jeebee bass lure compliments of Outdoors Niagara

Look at the pictures at the bottom of this page and you decide if Louie is a wild creature was he someone’s pet? Regardless, if he is to stay, he needs shelter.

Louie and his mate 
Picture taken at Queenston in February 2008
It is assumed his mate has
deceased in some unknown way

picture from internet