DELEVAN NY — DELEVAN, NY-- Gooseneck Hill Waterfowl Sanctuary in Delevan has been in operation since 1983 and in that time they've seen much success as well as their share of adversity.
Operating the world's largest covered aviary in a NY snowbelt is no easy task, and over the years owners Rosemary and Milt Miner have weathered many gales. But the brutal storm that hit WNY back in March took a massive toll. "You could hear the cables snapping, the branches breaking. It sounded like we had an earthquake going on," said Rosemary Miner.
The aviaries are covered by a heavy net which spans the ponds on the property and allows the birds to fly freely within their compound.
The heavy, wet snow brought down the nets and their support on the top pond and toppled trees in the back ponds, which brought the nets down there too.
Miner says that the first order of business on that horrible day was to secure the lower ponds. "We had to fix it right away, I mean that day we were making it secure, it wasn't fixed but we made it secure so that nothing could get in. We didn't want the predators to get in and kill the birds that we have in here, and now it's safe for them," she said.
A number of birds escaped during the storm, but found their way home.
However, the restoration work is far from complete.
The upper pond is still a shambles, nets floating in the water and broken support posts littering the land like fallen trees .
The Miners had to face the grim reality that perhaps the end was near for the sanctuary. "The first thing we thought of was oh boy maybe this was a sign we should get rid of the birds you know, but where would they go? They have so much freedom here, there is no place in the world that they can fly around on five acres, free, pick their own mates. They're not in small little cages, it would just kill me to see them put in little places."
The sanctuary has won battles like this in the past, the community has rallied around them to help, and they hope that will be the case again this time. The Miners remain optimistic that will happen. "We have to rebuild. We did the bottom, and the bottom is all done, so they have that to fly in, and this, we'll get it done, you know, everything will be alright."
Completion of repairs here could run over seventy thousand dollars, a huge price for a small sanctuary, but there's a great chance for the community to help Gooseneck Hill.
Their annual fundraiser, "Taste Of The Southtowns " is coming up next Sunday, April 22 at St Aloysius Hall in Springville. There will be some great food from local restaurants, live music and much more, and of course you'll be helping Gooseneck Hill fly again.