Photos: 1-- Admonishment of new goose by Buster [lower right corner]. 2-- "Diving Duo" geese returned to Meer. 3-- Buster, loud and proud.)
Almost as if to mock the powerful human forces against them, as well as mark the one year anniversary when every last bird who could fly was "harassed" from Harlem Meer, the geese showed up last night to the site of their previous banishment in sizable, proud number.
I didn't know what to expect when going to the Meer last night.
Would it be a repeat of the previous year (as written about yesterday)? Or, would it be relatively quiet (as has been the case in recent months) with few if any geese present?
But, it was obvious almost immediately that things were very different from either one year ago or the eerie quiet that has represented the fall this year.
Descending the hill that leads to Harlem Meer, I could see immediately that the "diving duo" geese had returned, their sparkly, clean white butts sticking upright in the water like cheerful welcoming signs.
But, they weren't the only ones.
A number of other geese were gliding peacefully in the water, as well as a colophony of mallards.
Stepping onto the familiar Meer path with my two dogs, suddenly a chorus of loud honks emanated from the far east side of the lake. A gaggle of geese rose a few feet from the water and enthusiastically flew in my direction!
It didn't take long to figure out the gaggle was Buster and his rag-tag crew of seven loyalists. They and a bunch of mallards followed in the water as I made my way to the familiar gathering spot.
And behind them, other geese followed, including the diving duo geese.
As usual, Brad, the flightless Rouen duck was the first on the grassy embankment, followed closely behind by Buster, his shy crew and the forever greedy mallards.
Bold and brash as always, Buster walked up to me and started to tug at my sleeve, as Brad stood at my feet, patiently waiting for his nightly treats.
After tossing some seeds to the other birds, Brad and Buster gently shared treats from my hand together.
As dominating and sometimes ruthless with the other geese as Buster is, it is quite extraordinary how gentle and sharing he is with Brad -- the duck I told Buster he cannot mess with.
And although Brad is often intimidated by the more aggressive drakes of the Meer, he has no fear whatsoever of Buster who is at least three times his size and has no compunctions about throwing his weight around.
Meanwhile, in the water directly in front of me were the diving duo, who, as it turns out are not just "two" geese, but actually a family of four.
Apparently, one of their grown two goslings has also taken on the "bottoms up" posturing and three of them were tails up in the water.
I quickly whipped out my small, point and shoot camera and was able to get a shot of the parents, "bottoms up."
By this time, another goose family of six had climbed onto the embankment and took up position about 20 feet from Buster and his bunch.
But, Buster would not allow them to trudge any closer.
The family of six, seemingly knowing me, tried to approach several times, but each time, Buster aggressively went after them as if to say in no uncertain terms, "Know your place!"
Feeling a bit sorry for the family of six and trying to figure out if I recognized them, I slowly approached them.
Sure enough, several walked right up to me and even ate from my hand. But, I did not recognize them as either the Turtle Pond goose family or geese I knew from the Reservoir over the summer. I think, rather, they are part of the resident geese who used to live at Harlem Meer over the spring and fall of past years -- like the "diving duo" suddenly returned to the Meer with their two grown youngsters.
It was funny how the geese readily recognized me, but I not them. Perhaps geese have better memories than humans?
But, Buster wasn't having any of it.
Carefully guarding some invisible line, he kept admonishing and pushing back, the new family of six. And they, in seeming deference to Buster's power and position respectfully retreated back. (See photo.)
Meanwhile, the "diving" family of four found a safe spot along the embankment at least 30 or 40 feet from where Buster was and were quietly nibbling on the grass. Buster did not bother them.
I counted a total of 17 geese along the embankment. But, I could tell there were others further out in the water.
There may have in fact, been up to 25 or 30 geese last night at the Meer -- or about the same number that were chased from the lake, along with all the other birds, last year at this time.
I had to wonder:
Do the geese keep a calendar?
Did they return to the Meer exactly one year to the day of being banished, as if to deliver some kind of message to us humans who so relentlessly persecute them?
"You can demonize and vilify us. You can harass and chase us. You can hunt and shoot us. You can even round up our brethren and decimate our numbers. But, you will never, ever dominate, control and destroy us. We will find way to prevail and overcome all of yours and life's adversities!"
I of course, don't know the answers to these questions, as being human myself, I seem to lack the smarts and memory of the geese.
But, I do know for a fact, the geese indeed are keen of memory, vision, recognition and intelligence.
What's more, they learn quickly and are capable of great stoicism and resilience.
They may acquiesce and bow to their own leaders, fathers, mothers and mates. But, they will never yield to or be done in by the demands and whims of humans.
All was beautiful and peaceful last night (unlike the previous year) when I finally left the Meer last night.
The flock had returned and seemingly with a very powerful message of hope, renewal and resistance. -- PCA
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