'Mother Goose' Working To Save Vacaville Birds From California Drought
VACAVILLE (CBS13) — A Vacaville woman is making it her mission to keep geese alive, but she's breaking the law to do it.
One by one, more than 100 geese greet Marcy Gamba every day for some dinner and an evening dip at Lagoon Valley Park.
"I come out in the morning, come out in the afternoon and then come out in the evening to make sure they are safe," she said.
Gamba took it upon herself to watch over the flock when she noticed the 780-acre-foot lake where they live had completely dried up in the drought.
"It makes me cry," she said. "It makes everybody cry that comes out here."
Gamba, who is now affectionately known as Mother Goose, wants to raise awareness that the geese and ducks are left high and dry. She and some volunteers bring them food, water and even some kiddie pools to swim in.
"The first time I brought the bowls out I literally stood there for 2 hours and kept filling the bowls, and filling the bowls," she said. "They drank like they hadn't had water for months and months and months, I could tell they were thirsty."
Mark Mazzaferro with the city says the lake usually goes dry every year, but this year it happened even earlier. He says in the past, he's been advised by fish and wildlife officials not to interfere with nature.
But for now, the city is allowing her to use their water to tend to the geese. Both are hoping it won't have to be much longer.
"We just want to keep doing this until the rains come," Gamba said.
