Wherefore Art They? Reunited at the Park

In this version of Romeo and Juliet, there’s a happy ending.

A mated pair of geese named for Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers were reunited at Te-Winkle Memorial Park in Costa Mesa on Friday after the female, shot twice last month by a high-powered pellet gun, underwent more than a week of treatment at All Creatures Care Cottage veterinary clinic.

When the two geese were reunited in the early afternoon, they briefly honked at each other before Juliet took to one of the park’s lakes for a swim. About 45 minutes later, they were side by side--as always.

“They’re cute when they’re together because they’re always talking to each other,” said Michelle Berger of Costa Mesa, who feeds and names birds at the park.

The gander was unhurt in a string of March pellet gun assaults at the Arlington Drive park that killed 12 birds and injured at least three. He paced for more than a week and a half while Juliet recovered at the veterinary hospital, Berger said.

Doctors removed pellets from the goose with special clamps and treated her with strong antibiotics for about 12 days, said veterinarian Joel Pasco at the All Creatures clinic. Another goose and a duck injured by pellets remain in the clinic’s care.

“My favorite moment is what you just saw--when they trot or they fly or they slither out of the cage and go back to where they’re happiest,” Pasco said.

Police have not arrested a suspect, and the shootings have stopped for now.

At 1 p.m. today, the Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach chapters of the National Rifle Assn. plan to post two metal signs at the park warning that killing migratory birds is against federal law, said Todd Nugent of Laguna Niguel, a spokesman for the group.

“We were outraged by the despicable acts of someone who was slaughtering these animals,” Nugent said.

Pasco has set up a fund to help care for geese and other injured park animals, the Domestic Water Fowl Rescue. Checks can be made to the Alliance for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education, 1912 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.

Information: (714) 642-7151.