Staff photo by Hannah LaClaire Bruce the Goose has been stuck on the frozen Nashua River next to Margaritas for the better part of a week, according to management. His wing, which is hanging down and appears to be injured, has a coating of visible ice. Animal Control has been contacted and cannot grab the bird until it gets closer to the building.

NASHUA – Bruce is cold and wet, and he’s been eating nothing but tortilla chips and hamburger buns for the last five days. He would probably like to go home, but he can’t find the right path.

Bruce is a Canada Goose who has been stuck on the frozen Nashua River outside Margaritas Mexican Restaurant since at least Friday, said Mike Brown, general manager.

The staff named him Bruce, he said, and have been trying to lure the animal, who appears to have a broken, ice crusted wing, closer to the restaurant, by tossing him tortilla chips and bread, mixed with the occasional bird seed from a container labeled “Bruce Food.”

But he’s a “headstrong goose,” Brown said, and doesn’t want to get too close. He has eaten his fill for now, and won’t follow the literal trail of breadcrumbs the staff has laid out for him.

Staff Photo by Hannah LaClaire Bruce the goose

This is a problem for Bruce, because animal control, who visited earlier on Tuesday, can’t reach him with their pole unless he is substantially closer to the scaffolding that runs alongside the building.

The ice is too thin in places for them to just go out and grab the bird, and while he can still walk, his wing, which is hanging down, makes Brown concerned he is unable to swim.

Bonnie Kothari said she and friends went out for a late New Year’s Eve lunch on Sunday when they saw the bird, who they thought looked like he was stuck on the ice.

She called animal control, the police department and the fire department, but due to the holiday, nobody was available, she said.

Since then, the Margaritas crew has taken turns checking on and feeding the bird, even trying to fashion a contraption out of a bucket, hoping he might climb into it.

Staff photo by Hannah LaClaire The staff at Margaritas, who named their resident goose "Bruce" has a designated "Bruce Food" container, and has been tossing hamburger bun pieces and tortilla chips to the bird for several days. They started feeding him on Saturday, but he was spotted in the area as early as Friday.

Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful.

Bruce’s situation may soon turn dire, said Dr. Carol Macomber of Granite State Animal Hospital, one of only six centers in the state licensed to treat wild geese.

If his wing is broken, it may already have started to get infected with gangrene, she said, due to the lack of blood flow. Or, it could become callused from dragging it on the ice for several days.

“That’s not good,” she said, “because he’s causing more damage to the wing.”

If they are able to get him off the ice, she would be willing to try to treat him, but if his wing is not viable, she would likely have to put him down, as per New Hampshire Fish and Game

Staff photo by Hannah LaClaire Although the goose appears to be unable to fly or swim, it can still walk. Some of the lines in the snow are tracks made by the animal's frozen wing, which is dragging behind it, according to Margaritas manager Mike Brown.

recommendations.

She would, of course, do everything in her power to treat him, she said.

Canada Geese are the most common type of goose, she said, and if unable to be rehabilitated, it’s hard to find placement for one.

“If it were a bald eagle, I could find him a home, but if he can’t fly, it’ll be difficult,” she said. “And how happy are they (the birds) going to be?”

Her only option would be some sort of a backyard flock, she suggested, but even then, it would not be likely. It’s hard enough to place owls, let alone geese.

“The longer he’s out there, the worse his prognosis is going to get,” she said.

But Macomber, along with Brown and his coworkers, is not ready to give up on Bruce.

“They have really heavy waterproofing and are pretty hardy in their environment,” Macomber said of Bruce and his ilk. “He can stay out there for days as long as he’s moving and eating.”

As of Tuesday evening, Bruce still was on the ice outside the restaurant, and Brown said animal control will be called as soon as he is close enough to grab. Although geese are notoriously hard to catch (think: wild goose chase), with an injured wing and icy conditions, it may not be as

difficult.

Then, they will figure out the next steps.

They are all rooting for him.

Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or hlaclaire@nashuatelegraph.com.