In the Nick of Time, Smart Ducks Find Rescue and Safe Haven

Connie and Carol (male) enjoying new digs and leaving memories of frozen Harlem Meer in Central Park behind.

We did not get the fab four out of Harlem Meer too soon.

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Last night, the lake was more than 90% iced over, including the area near the Dana Center.  The mallards looked miserable and there were no geese.

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Additionally, an obnoxious woman was trying to prompt her Siberian Husky to charge at mallards resting on ice, pushing his backside at the edge of the lake and chanting, "go!"

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"If your dog falls through the ice, who is going to rescue him?" I queried.

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"Mind your own business," the woman shot back.

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"Look, the birds have it tough enough out here in winter without being deliberately harassed.  Show some respect.  Besides, dogs are not allowed on the lake." 

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Fortunately, the dog did not show any interest in either the ducks or the icy brine. (Siberian Huskies are neither hunting nor water dogs.)  

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Feeling reasonably confident that the reluctant Husky would not charge the ice or the ducks, I walked away.

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The only reason for sharing this incident is to illustrate what the waterfowl and other wildlife of Central and other city parks have to endure.  (Primarily, callous humans as one should not fault dogs for the ignorance of their owners.)

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Eventually exiting away from a frozen Harlem Meer, I breathed, once again, a sigh of relief that Conner, Connie, Carol and Cochise were finally rescued from what is fast becoming (and always has been) a harsh and hostile environment. 

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Rescue of them now would be virtually impossible.

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Mallards stayed either on the ice last night or swam in small groups, trying to maintain some open water.  None came on land, which is apparently colder and harsher on their feet in the bitter cold.  The same would have been true for the domestic ducks.

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But, instead of having to endure the cruelties of humans or winter in Central Park, the fab four have quickly settled in their new home as though they "have lived there all their lives."

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This email report from Caroline today:

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"All is well and everyone seems VERY happy with their new home.  

Everyone is eating, drinking, swimming and quacking up a storm.  The first night no one wanted to go into their night shed, but by the second night, their human mom, came in, said, "Bedtime duckies," and everyone marched right in their shed, settled down in the hay, and went right to bed.  Very very smart ducks!

The plan is to introduce them to the other ducks today.  Their pens are next door, so they've been talking to each other.  Today she will let them see each other, and if there isn't too much snow tomorrow, they'll all go out in the big yard for some supervised time together."

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Well, of course, Conner, Connie, Carol and Cochise are "very, very smart ducks."

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They would not have survived for the past year at Harlem Meer were they not.

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But, now they don't have to be especially smart, scrambling for food or on guard, 24/7. 

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They can just be happy, relaxed and free to be themselves.

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Happy day, despite the newly fallen snow and quick forming ice on all park watercourses. -- PCA

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