(Photos: 1--Geese at the Boat Lake yesterday. 2-- Goose #7. Did Buster and family take in an orphan?)
The crisp, but slightly warmer than normal temperatures yesterday were ideal for a brisk walk in Central Park to survey the other watercourses.
I did not find a large population of geese anywhere. None at Turtle Pond, the Reservoir or the Pond on the Upper West Side.
However, there were at least 20 geese at the Boat Lake leading me to speculate that they could be the few families of resident geese who recently left Harlem Meer.
The geese were near the north west rock formation where the Turtle Pond goose family typically hangs out over these past many months.
But, knowing Papa and Mama goose as I do, it was not surprising to not see them yesterday. They are not noted for chilling with gaggles of other geese. My guess is that Papa, Mama and their three grown youngsters were at some other part of the large lake. They seem to value their privacy and independence.
The several families of geese near the rocks seemed a little surprised, but curious over my presence yesterday.
They swam close to the area where I tossed some seeds on the rock, but they did not come out of the water to retrieve, whereas several mallards did.
"Caution" always the credo of geese, I suspect that even though these geese likely knew me, they did not have Buster with them to take the first steps and announce safety and nor were the Bradly Brigade around.
Moreover, presuming these were the same resident geese who wintered at Harlem Meer over the past two months, they probably exercised greater caution for being new to the area and not quite settled in and familiar.
As soon as I moved away with my dogs, a couple of the geese ventured cautiously on to the rock, but their movements were guarded and wary.
Geese don't seem to be animals who take unnecessary chances under any circumstances.
Rather, they are seemingly forever vigilant, cautious and conservative in their movements and actions -- especially when in new and unfamiliar areas.
"Conservative" is not however a word, I would use to describe mallards.
On the contrary, numerous small flocks of mallards were gregariously flying over several areas of Central Park yesterday. Typically, one sees heavy mallard flying activities during the spring and summer months. But, nothing about this winter has been "normal" so far. One is already seeing many signs of spring, the heightened mallard flying activity being only one of them.
Indeed, as speculated the other day, the migratory geese have seemingly left Central Park already to start on their journey north.
Twenty geese at the boat lake is not after all, the nearly 100 geese who were at Harlem Meer since early December.
I cannot prove of course, but am reasonably certain that migratory geese and mallards have already embarked on early migrations.
Even at Harlem Meer the number of mallards is lower than it was during the "hunkering down" phase of winter just a few weeks ago.
But, I still saw my "regular" mallards yesterday, along of course with the Bradly Brigade and Buster and his gaggle.
Buster's gaggle is of interesting note.
Over the months, I have usually counted Buster and his crew to be seven geese all together.
But, there have been other times, I only count six geese.
For two days in a row, I only saw six geese and I thought one of Buster's charges might have defected with one of the other resident goose families who left the Meer this past week.
But, that is not the case.
Last night, goose # 7 was with Buster and crew, but was slightly back in the flock.
He or she did venture on the embankment and partook of a few treats with the others, but then returned to the water and swam towards the middle of the lake, honking at various intervals.
It could be that goose #7 is a kind of "wayward" or independent youngster much like I speculated Daffy to be. But, then, two of Daffy's flock mates would come looking for him and attempt to reign him in.
None of Buster's gaggle attempt to follow #7 or hover over him/her.
So, I am guessing #7 is a goose who somehow lost his/her mate or family and is in fact, a "tag-along" to Buster and his family.
Of course why #7 would elect to stay and tag along with a family whose lead gander is such a "bully" and task master is another question.
But, despite his brash tactics, I haven't noticed Buster to particularly attack this goose or banish him/her from the gaggle.
It seems to be OK for #7 to stay as long as s/he keeps respectable distance.
Still, it was a little sad last night to see #7 wander off alone, eerily honking on the lake.
It reminded me of when Binky (the "Angel Wing" flightless gosling of the Turtle Pond goose family) was left alone on the pond for the first time and swam forlornly on the water, "calling out" in long, plaintive honks for his family. (Binky was later rescued just prior to winter last year and sent to a wealthy estate.)
Fortunately, #7 is not entirely alone and s/he seems perfectly capable of flying.
And though I may make jokes about the "belligerence" and "meanness" of Buster, he can't really be all that bad.
It seems Buster and his family might actually have taken in an orphan. -- PCA
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