Lots of excitement last night!
The Superbowl game was a nail biter down to the last second!
But, that's not what I'm referring to.
"Excitement" to me was in another arena -- Central Park.
Temperatures were nippy last night. But, it wasn't the wind chill capturing attention.
It was the calls and honks of Canada geese. -- Lots of them!
Although I normally listen to music during my walks in the park, I quickly removed headphones last night to listen to the hypnotic and melodic sounds emanating from across the Reservoir.
I couldn't see the geese, but their voices were like music encapturing the night.
Sounds literally swirling and moving like ghosts and spirits through the chilled winter air.
Part of me wanted to take a detour from my normal journey to Harlem Meer to search the source and location of the geese's calls. -- To see these glorious forms in motion.
But, the calls were too fluid and ubiquitous to discern exactly the origin. And so I continued north to Harlem Meer.
The scene at the Meer was very similar to the previous night.
The Bradly Brigade and mallards congregated in their usual spot at the south portion of the lake; the geese not immediately visible.
I tended to Brad and his two charges, as well as the demanding and enthusiastic mallards.
I also looked for Chrissy, the severely compromised mallard who hops and flops as opposed to walking the typical duck waddle. As usual, Chrissy pulled herself up on the embankment after most of the other ducks had arrived. The struggle difficult for her, she immediately flopped down and I tossed treats as fast as Chrissy could snatch them from invading mallards.
Though frail and compromised, Chrissy is actually a tough little mallard. She uses direct eye contact with me to beseech treats and has learned to be very quick and proficient with her bill to snatch and grab what she can.
My heart aches for Chrissy -- especially when some of the drakes attack her. But, I have also learned to respect Chrissy's moxie and will to endure despite the tough hand (or, really legs) nature has dealt her.
About this time, I heard honks emanating from the west side of the lake.
Sure enough, when I looked on the water, "Loner" was on his way, quickly swimming in my direction.
"Hi, guy! Good to see you again!"
Loner walked slowly towards me and unlike the night before, actually dared to swoop a few seeds from my hand. But, the action seemed to spook him a little and he proceeded to graze the rest of the seeds off the grass.
That was OK. I am not about pushing intimacy and familiarity.
Meanwhile, I could see more goose forms swimming on the lake and quickly heading for the embankment.
Buster and his family had obviously learned the "lesson" of the night before. This time when they apparently noted (or heard) Loner swimming off, they followed. Buster was not going to miss another mid evening snack as occurred the night before.
Buster confidently approached me with head held high requesting his treat.
"Well, Buster, I see you learn fast! That deserves reward."
As his flock mates embarked on the grass, Buster immediately returned to his "keeping in line" activities with some mild pecking and pushing of the other geese. I thought to myself, some things never change.
Meanwhile, Loner had moved some paces away, always careful to defer to Buster and his flock. No honking or goosing apparently necessary for Loner who knows and honors well the rules.
But, last night Loner wasn't the only one.
A family of five (new?) geese had arrived and taken up position on the embankment about 25 feet or so from Buster's clan.
The family stood peacefully on the lake's edge calmly looking out over the water.
They made no attempt to seek any treat.
I wondered about the new geese. Were they part of what I heard on my way to the Meer from the area of the Reservoir?
Geese are apparently doing a lot of moving around these days.
All my favorite duckies and geesies tended to for the evening, I gingerly retrieved my dogs and stepped carefully around the new geese resting along the embankment. They looked curiously at us walking by, but did not flee.
Meanwhile, Brad gathered Piggly, Wiggly and the rest of the ducks to escort me from the Meer as they do every night. And Buster rounded up his family to do the same. A little brown mallard swam directly in front of the Bradly Brigade, but I could not be sure if she was Chrissy or not. (Chrissy is hard to discern from the other mallards when in the water.)
Perhaps this is the real reason I make this sojourn every night.
Its hard not to get addicted to all the attention and seeming reverence.
"Good night, guys! Be good and take care of each other now!"
Walking home, I retraced steps back to the Reservoir running path.
And almost unbelievably, there were the honks again sending music through the still night air!
This time, I decided to walk in the general vicinity of the goose honks that seemed to be emanating from the western area of the Reservoir but were moving in all directions.
But, as I moved on, the honks seemed to fade in the distance....
Looking out over the Reservoir, however, I noticed four geese resting and floating on the slightly rolling water.
"Was it you guys making all that noise?"
I didn't see any other geese. Just the four. But, earlier and just a few minutes before, it had sounded like many dozens.
I continued to walk further west along the Reservoir, but could not see any more geese in the water.
But, then the sounds of honks behind me.
I turned around and the four geese I had seen just a minute before suddenly rose from the water and took off majestically in the sky.
They honked and first flew in a semi-circle around the Reservoir.
But, then the four geese headed decisively in a northern direction and slowly vanished from view.
Were they heading to Harlem Meer?
Or, on migratory route to Canada?
The sights and sounds of the evening totally having thrilled me, I realized I would probably not see any more geese at that moment.
The four geese actually observed most likely took a brief rest or drink at the Reservoir and then followed in the path of the dozens of geese before them.
I finally returned home with my dogs and turned the Superbowl on the TV.
I had just missed Madonna's half-time show.
But, no Superbowl half time show or last minute "Hail Mary" throws into the end zone could have equaled the stellar night show I had just witnessed and heard.
The wonder of Canada geese during their fall and spring migrations.
They fly -- and call by night.
And truly there is nothing more wondrous, spiritual and majestic than that. -- PCA
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