Tuesday, February 14, 2012

"Jealousy, Oh What You Do To Me!"





(Photos: 1--  A very indignant Buster last night. 2-- A very determined and now vigorous Chrissy warding the mallards away.)
 
Valentine's Day.
 
Unfortunately, my romance with Buster seems to be hitting some rough patches over the past few days and I believe that has something to do with jealousy.
 
But, more about that later......
 
Words cannot express the delight and surprise in witnessing Chrissy's almost miraculous and seemingly sudden recovery from the near debilitating injury or condition to her legs.
 
Though not yet 100% "normal," Chrissy is able now to enthusiastically hop on the embankment at Harlem Meer with ease and can stand and walk normally for at least a few steps!
 
Call me delusional, silly or "anthropomorphic" but I can almost hear Chrissy shouting when jumping up on the grass and trotting towards me with her face all lit up, "Look at me!   Look at what I can do now!"
 
The diminutive and scrappy mallard still plops down in a sitting position, but even with that, Chrissy apparently has new strength to ward off the mallards from overpowering her and grabbing the food.
 
Moreover, Chrissy has utilized her smarts and risk-taking capabilities to figure out that she gets far more food when eating directly from my hand (like Brad).  She has also used direct eye contact (like a flirty little girl) to always let me know where she is.   She is the one mallard who constantly does this.
 
It is truly amazing that lacking doctors and medicine to help them when they are in physical trouble, how some (or most?) animals are able to figure out means of overcoming their disabilities and surviving.
 
Certainly, the remarkable and scrappy little Chrissy is one of them. 
 
I truly never dreamed this frail and injured mallard had any chance of survival -- especially with the attacks from mallards that Chrissy had to endure in her weakened state.
 
But, Chrissy is far from "weak" now.   On the contrary, she seems to be gaining strength and vigor by the day.
 
Speaking of the incredible adaptive and survival skills of ducks and geese, yesterday, there was an unusual column describing these in geese:
 
 
Though not the strongest or fastest of birds, the strength of Canada geese lies in their "exceedingly great wisdom."
 
The piece goes on to describe how the migratory, cooperational and strategical planning skills of geese aid them in survival and achievement.
 
I would add to that list of course, complex communication skills as both geese and ducks are highly communicative animals as noted repeatedly in this journal.
 
"Communication" is something I experienced last night from Buster, my "semi-romantic" goose buddy at Harlem Meer.
 
But, it wasn't necessarily the kind of communication that I am accustomed to from Buster nor the kind usually associated with a "romantic" holiday.
 
On the contrary, Buster was obviously pissed with me last night.  Big time.
 
While squatting down to hand-feed Chrissy, I noticed a gaggle of geese arriving to the embankment.
 
The geese mostly stood at the edge of the embankment and curiously watched what was going on.
 
At first, I assumed it was the same curious and investigative gaggle seen the previously night.
 
But, then I noticed the large, powerful gander of the group "goosing" and keeping in line, the other members of the flock.  He also goosed some of the mallards.
 
Hm, could it be Buster and gang? I wondered.
 
But, why isn't Buster coming up to me and demanding treat?
 
Continuing to hand-feed Chrissy, while at the same time getting treats to Brad, Piggly, Wiggly and the other mallards, I put the question of geese identity out of my mind.
 
Mallards were scrambling at my feet, Brad was eating from one hand while Chrissy ate from the other. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and that I needed more hands.
 
Finally, having eaten her fill, Chrissy trotted to the edge of the lake and was soon to return to the water when she sat on the grass.
 
Wanting to get a photo and/or toss a few extra treats to her, I slowly followed.
 
But, then a I felt a hard tug on my jacket sleeve!
 
"Ah, come on!  This is TOO much! What the hell are you doing?"
 
It was Buster letting me know he was none too pleased!
 
I turned around to face the insulted gander who then tried to ignore me by pretending it wasn't him who pecked my jacket.
 
Buster was facing the other way.
 
I held out my treat-filled hand as way of attempting to make amends, but Buster would have none of it.
 
"You are not going to bribe me now after giving priority to everyone else -- including a miserable little mallard!"
 
Eventually, Buster turned to look at me, but I could pretty much read the indignant message on his ego-stricken face.    He wanted nothing to do with hand treats last night or "amends."
 
Buster then returned to keeping his flock in line and goosing some of the feisty mallards getting in his way.
 
I attempted to offer some of the treats to one of Buster's gaggle members and the goose promptly hissed at me!
 
Apparently, I had pissed off all the geese last night.
 
Feeling somewhat "rejected" by Buster and his prideful gaggle, I finally tossed some treats their way (which they promptly ignored) and gathered up my two dogs to leave.
 
As I walked away from the feeding area, all eight geese loudly honked to each other and seemingly to me.
 
"Imagine that!  Hand-feeding all the good stuff to the beggar mallards and then thinking she can give the crumbs to us!   Who does she think we are?  We are not vagrants and we are never desperate!"
 
My Valentine's Day suddenly in tatters, I wondered if Buster and his gang would ever forgive me?
 
But, then as I began to exit the Meer, I noticed three of the geese following me in the water along with the Bradly Brigade, Chrissy, Dusky and the rest of the ducks.
 
I just don't know if Buster was one of them.
 
It seems I may have some major fence-mending ahead in the days to come.
 
Hopefully, as Chrissy continues to gain strength, she won't require continual hand-feeding.
 
That seems to be the proverbial "straw" that ruffled Buster's jealousy feathers.
 
"Jealousy, oh what you do to me!"
 
It seems that along with intelligence and strategical planning skills, geese are also subject to many of the emotions that humans experience -- jealousy and pride being just a few among them.  -- PCA
 
 
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