A sign of spring is flocking across southeast Iowa.

Washington County Naturalist Pam Holz says the warmer temperatures are a probable cause for geese and swans migrating north. Holz says geese families do reside in Marr Park, “We have actually gotten to the point where we have taken down most of the nest structures at Marr Park because the geese are like, well most people put up nest boxes for them, and so if they don’t have to do much work that’s where they’re going to nest. So we don’t have many geese that are raised in this park but we can get up to three or four families every year living here.”

A lack of limiting factors like predators and places to habitat have caused geese populations to greater multiply, according to Holz. Breeding season will begin in the next couple weeks, in which geese act territorial and don’t want to be bothered by humans or even other geese. Holz recommends to leave plenty of space for geese as they can get aggressive in the spring.