Spring Teases, Arctic Freezes and Hopefully Warm Hearts

Geese returning to Central Park during brief spring tease.

Little girl takes delight in hand feeding geese and mallards.

Geese and ducks finally able to find some exposed soil for grazing.

Mallards pecking through thin snow to seeds underneath.

We were finally able to scrap gloves, scarves, boots and winter coats this weekend for lighter fare as temperatures swelled to balmy fifty degrees plus.

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The temporary spring tease brought families, runners, cyclists and children back to Central Park, as well as several small flocks of Canada geese.

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The geese have been bouncing around between the Boat Lake and Harlem Meer over the past week which appears to be good news for "Loner," the solitary Canada goose who had been hanging with a mated goose pair at the Boat Lake for the past several months.

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I expressed concern for Loner to my friend, Liliana (who daily monitors to the Boat Lake) because in another month, (i.e. breeding season) the mated pair would no longer accept Loner and the gander would likely run the friendless, solitary goose off from potential nesting area and the lake itself.

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But, it seems now that fear may not actually materialize.

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Liliana reported today that as of this morning, only the mated pair of geese were at the Boat Lake.

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It appears that Loner finally joined one of the visiting flocks over the past weekend. -- An action that was necessary to insure his ultimate survival.

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Loner had to realize that the somewhat comfy situation of tagging along with an established pair through the winter (without personal mate and flock) would not last through the coming seasons.  If he was to take action, he had the opportunity this past week and he apparently took it.

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Liliana also reported seeing one goose at the Boat Lake a few days ago with an id band on her right leg. This suggests that "Bandy," the goose who was alone at Harlem Meer for a couple of weeks also joined (or rejoined) one of the flocks (as suspected).

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In essence, it is good news that both "loner" geese of Central Park have seemingly found flocks to once again become part of. As reported previously in this journal, the long range prognosis for "loner" geese without mates or flocks is extremely grim.

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Nevertheless, not all of the wildlife news from city parks this winter is good.

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Last week, a park maintenance worker reported to me finding several dead mallards at Harlem Meer over the winter.  (Bird lovers at Prospect Park in Brooklyn have similarly  reported the losses of at least four mallards over the winter.)

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I told the young man that the deaths were not due to the birds freezing to death, but likely starving to death.

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Throughout most of the winter, the lake at Harlem Meer has been a frozen block of ice with no open water.

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For the past month, the lawns in Central Park (and other parks) have been covered in more than foot of solidly packed snow thereby preventing waterfowl from grazing.

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In essence, the natural food supplies for ducks, geese and other waterfowl have been completely blocked off by either heavy snow or thick ice most of this winter.

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This has resulted in particularly bold and risky behavior -- especially on the part of mallards.

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In all the years of feeding Central Park mallards over the winters, I have never experienced them eating directly from my hand unless physically compromised in some way, such as a crippled leg.

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But, in recent weeks, it has become the norm rather than the exception that mallards search human hands for food.

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Liliana reports the same.

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This suggests that so desperate are the waterfowl for food, many are willing to take risks they would normally never take.

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Geese, being generally a bit more social, confident and human trusting than mallards do not necessarily have to be faced with life threatening circumstance to take food from human hands.   But even the geese have displayed more risk taking behavior and seeming desperation than usual -- even walking up to small children.

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This past weekend, the birds got a bit of reprieve from relentless cold and constantly gathering snow.

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But, Harlem Meer still remains encased in ice and most of the grounds still covered in thin sheets of icy snow. 

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While it was comforting last night to see some mallards finally able to graze on some newly exposed soil and grass for the first time in weeks, that is a scene likely to vanish as qiuickly as it appeared.

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The weather forecast for the rest of the week is a "return to the Polar Vortex" with temperatures plunging to low teens and more snow to come.

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The geese will likely take off again (except for the mated pair at Boat Lake) as will most people stay away from city parks.

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It will mostly be the "diehard" mallards remaining huddled and cringed down on the frozen ice and a few diehard feeders trying to prevent further mortalities this winter.

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I hope if there is anything this journal accomplishes over the years, it is to awaken others to the struggles of wildlife over the seasons and to hopefully inspire others to the desire to lend a helping hand when necessary -- despite signs and rules in urban parks often dictating otherwise.

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That only cold, restricting and unrelenting winters might hopefully give way to and engender warm, generous and eager hearts.  -- PCA

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The Bright Red of "Canada Goose" Garment Labels - A Message of Animal Suffering

The real Canada goose may be beautiful. But, nothing pretty or technically evolved about the torture and death of coyotes and geese to produce garments of animal suffering. Down is dead.

Here in NYC, the bright red designer labels imprinted upon outerwear sleeves are seen everywhere. 

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But, the critical article below focuses on the horrific trapping of coyotes as trimming for popular "Canada Goose" jackets and coats:

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2544075/Revealed-Chilling-cruelty-unspeakable-suffering-corporate-denial-Is-TRUE-cost-seasons-Canada-Goose-coat.html

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Of course, it is not just coyotes who suffer the tortures of the damned to produce these products.  Geese are either slaughtered for down filling or in some cases are lived-plucked.

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Earlier in the season, I purchased 100% man-made (polyester fiber) puffer coats for myself and my daughter from Abercrombie and Fitch similar in appearance to the "Canada Goose" stuff. (Its important to carefully read labels inside coats and jackets to determine all materials used for it.) Even in minus 12 degree Buffalo weather, Tara, my daughter, says its the warmest coat she has ever had. 

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My coat has a faux fur trimmed hood which has kept me toasty all winter. The coat has become my most treasured possession -- especially in this particularly frigid season. When last month, temperatures plunged to 8 degrees in New York City, I walked through Central Park with just a thin sweater under my coat and was perfectly fine.

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There is no excuse in the word to market garments of such unspeakable animal cruelty when we have the technology today to produce incredible outerwear that is both fashionable and far warmer than anything on an animal.

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The article above is important and should be shared with anyone thinking of buying Canada Goose products.

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The bright red of Canada Goose garment labels might as well be written in the blood of their victims.  --PCA

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The Peaceable Frenzy of Winter

Kindly gentleman offering treat to newly arrived Canada goose on Valentine's Day.

Central Park in its tranquil winter beauty last night.

The frenzy of the hungry mallards on ice.

Mallards following human footprints in the snow.

Tire tracks, human footprints and the mallards.

And once again, all is quiet and serene.

Though I had not seen geese in Central Park for at least two weeks, the flock of twelve that Bandy presumably is part of, magically showed up on Valentine's Day.

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There is something fantastically coincidental over the years that Canada geese just seem to pop up in Central Park on all the special, human holidays days of the year. -- Something that is particularly joyous and celebratory to me.

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It has prompted this nature lover more than once throughout this blog to wonder if the geese secretly have a calendar?

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Seeing my treasured geese once again was not the only thing to light up the traditional night of hearts and flowers.

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There were actually a few kind hearted folks sharing treats with both the geese and mallards. -- Something I personally had not witnessed at Harlem Meer since late summer.

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Perhaps that too, was a specialty of the particular day. A time when people are a bit more others directed and generous with gifts.

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Whatever the reasons or coincidence, it was simply nice to see both the geese again and some people opening hearts to them and their mallard pals.

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As for the birds themselves, the boldness and confidence of the geese to brazenly  walk up to people and accept treats from human hands seemed to embolden many of the mallards to do the same.

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I am not sure if it was sheer hunger on the part of the mallards to take risks they don't normally take or encouragement from the geese that spurred them on, but it was the first time all winter I experienced mallards tugging at my pants and several others voraciously eating from my hand.

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One thing for certain however: This has been a rough winter on the wildlife in New York City -- one that has seen virtually all their food supplies submerged under heavy blankets of constant snow and ice.

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If the birds seem particularly "desperate" there is good reason why.

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As almost always is the case, last night (by contrast) was a very different scene in more ways than one.

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For one matter, weather had changed once again from comparatively mild temperatures of mid 30's to below freezing.

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Oh, and of course there was more snow.

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The snow and the winds were blowing fiercely when I entered the park last night. -- So much so that flakes invaded my eyes and caused temporary discomfort.  At times I actually turned my back to the seeming onslaught of tiny ice crystals against exposed eye lashes.

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But, the scene itself was one of quiet and intense beauty all around, some of which I attempted to capture in photos.

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 https://www.facebook.com/patty.adjamine/media_set?set=a.10152263927503394.1073741831.811113393&type=1

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Even the ducks stood like stoic dark statues silhouetted against the pale white of frozen ice and snow.

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But, like the "calm before the storm" this picture too, rapidly changed.

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Immediately upon recognizing me from far away, the mallards gathered themselves up in a type of frenzy to either fly or dash wildly towards my feet.

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Before I could even toss the first kernels of corn or seeds from my bag, I was practically frozen in place for fear of stepping on desperate mallards in mad cluster at my feet.

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The more brazen ones grabbed seeds from my hand -- something again rarely experienced from normally cautious mallards.

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Within minutes everything of substance was gone and I guardedly pried myself away.

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But even then some of the mallards attempted to follow me down a snow-laden pedestrian path.  "More, more, we need more!" they seemed to say.

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One might have thought the scene quite romantic if not realizing its actual desperation.

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But, finally I was away from the mallards and while exiting the park, took brief moment once again to take in its serene wonder and beauty -- especially when blanketed by newly falling snow.

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A peaceable beauty that is only punctuated by the quiet desperation beneath it and the once again, absence of the geese.  -- PCA
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Tale of Two Cities Mayor deBlasio Awash in Lofty Rhetoric Than Practical Action

Frozen New York City.  What does it take for the new mayor to close schools during emergency?  Apparently, an asteroid hitting City Hall. But then deBlasio would have to open window and look out.

He's only been in office over a month, but so far, NYC Mayor, Bill deBlasio has managed to cross hairs with "rich" residents of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the governor of New York, more than a million school kids and their parents and even Today Show weatherman, Al Roker.

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The latest snafu occurs over the mayor's decision to keep open NYC public schools on a day Governor Cuomo (correctly) declared a "State of Emergency" for New York and urged people to "stay home."

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http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/13/us/nyc-deblasio-schools/

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After personally shoveling his Park Slope driveway yesterday of snow (a photo op deBlasio always takes full advantage of for media cameras) the mayor held a press conference in which he attempted to blame the National Weather Service for failing to predict the severity of the latest snow storm.

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But, anyone paying even slight attention to media weather forecasts knew days in advance this was going to be "a big one" -- a "Nor'easter" in fact, dumping up to a foot of snow in the city.

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deBlasio's attempt to divert blame to the National Weather Service for his poor and senseless decision to keep open public schools did not sit well with Al Roker who went on to post a number of critical tweets on Twitter, including one that suggested de Blasio would be a "one term mayor" (a tweet Roker later apologized for, but not the others).

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My problem with de Blasio (and reason I didn't support him for the office of Mayor) is that he doesn't appear to understand the actual job of a mayor of a large city.

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That is to be manager and administrator of public services.  (i.e. insure the trains and buses run on time as well as insuring public safety -- especially from crime).

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Considering that during a previous snow storm when deBlasio also kept open public schools, hundreds of children were stranded on school buses for hours because Manhattan's Upper East Side streets had failed to be plowed and considering that less than half of public school kids actually attended school that day, it seems deBlasio fails to learn anything from past mistakes.

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Yesterday too, only 45% of children actually attended classes in NYC public schools. With such poor attendance teachers were forced more into the roles of baby sitters, meal providers and showing movies than actually teaching anything.

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Then again, deBlasio seems to think schools are more for baby sitting and providing "hot meals" than actually providing education. -- Hence his campaign for "Universal Pre-K" education in NYC with price tag going to "rich taxpayers."  (Apparently, deBlasio doesn't believe modern parents capable of opening a can of Spaghetti O's or tuning on a microwave.)

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I am not in favor of Universal Pre-K because I believe young childrens' time with parents when very young is critical to their sense of security and emotional development. (My earliest childhood memory is the "trauma" I felt when first being separated from my mother when attending first grade.)

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In nature most animals stay with mothers (or parents) long after maturity from infant stage.  It is how animals learn to function in an otherwise dangerous and threatening world.  

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That some politicians (like deBlasio) seem in a rush to move parental/child separation along sooner than it normally would occur under the guise of "Pre-K Education" seems a push for too much governmental authority and influence upon both the young and parents. These in turn can lead to too much dependency upon governmental services such as meal providing or "baby sitting" (responsibilities that normally fall to one or both parents).

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In essence, I have concerns with the long range impacts of these programs upon the emotional stability, security and independent functionality of future generations.

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I believe it is always a little "traumatic" when children first have to separate from parents and spend large parts of the days with otherwise strangers. But, that this would become common practice for toddlers and children not old enough to understand the reasons for it is all the more troubling.

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Yesterday someone posted on the NY One site that deBlasio was "soft on crime and hard on children."

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I don't believe that accusation to be far from the mark of truth.

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deBlasio's answers to much the criticisms often begin with, "As the parent of public school children......."

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But deBlasio's kids are teenagers, not toddlers. And they are kids of a prominent New Yorker who are likely not stranded on school buses for hours because Dad makes a bad decision based upon personal social agendas rather than practical and safe management of a city.

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deBlasio has only been in office a month, but I am already weary of his lofty "Tale of Two Cities" divisive talk, his liberal and extremist social agendas and most of all, the photo ops of him shoveling his driveway.

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If deBlasio cares so much for the "poor" then why isn't he offering some down on his luck young man a few bucks to shovel a driveway and buy his own "hot meal?"

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Along with everything else, the new mayor is an apparent cheapskate.

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Spare me from the mayors who push "health" and social agendas (for some kind of eternal Utopia) ahead of actually seeing to it that the trains run on time and the people are kept reasonably safe. -- PCA

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A Glass of Ice and a Meal of Snow -- Tough Going for the Birds of Winter in NYC

Frozen --- Mallards huddle on snow with legs tucked underneath in effort to conserve warmth.

Scrambling for morsels of food on frozen snow.

Romantic fine dining as city prepares for another round of heavy snow.

 Let Them Eat Snow -- "They're Just Animals"

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I remember the first snow storm of this winter -- which now seems years ago.

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I walked in blankets of the falling, fluffy stuff in the majestic peace of a Central Park evening while listening to Vivaldi's, "The Four Seasons" (winter).

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This is what heaven must be like! I thought joyfully. Everything so exquisite and perfect!

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Six snow storms later, the feeling isn't quite so joyful as Central Park has been enveloped  in snow and ice for seemingly the last two months.

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And today, as nearly another foot of snow falls atop the ice boulders and mini snow mountains already in place, my only thoughts are for the wildlife trying to struggle through this notorious winter in New York City.

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"Don't Feed the Wildlife!" the park signs admonish.

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But, with all the lawns of Central Park now covered in more than a foot of rock hard snow and virtually all watercourses transformed into solid ice, what exactly are the birds supposed to eat?

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My friend, Liliana shares with me a story of a park enforcement employee admonishing her this morning for feeding the ducks and three geese at the Boat Lake in Central Park:

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"You're not supposed to feed them!" the woman said sternly.  "They're just animals!"

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"Do you have a dog at home?" Liliana asked.  "Why do you feed him if he is just an animal?"

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Ducks on Ice

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Like Liliana, I too, have been feeding the ducks of Central Park this winter, though at the north side of the park -- Harlem Meer.

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For the past week, the lake has been entirely frozen at the Meer with not so much as an inch of open water.

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It is heart wrenching to note the mallards huddled on the ice with legs tucked underneath them to try and conserve any warmth. Sometimes, they spread their wings outward in seemingly another attempt at staving off the bitter cold.

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Rather than walk on the bone chilling ice to get to the cracked corn tossed their way, the ducks fly short distance.  So desperate are they for any morsels of food, I have to watch my step as there is a cluster of mallards scrambling at my feet for the corn and pumpkin seeds that fall out of my hand. The other night, I nearly stepped on a mallard.

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The food seemingly vanishes even before it hits the ice.

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As I walk away some of the mallards are pecking madly at the ice trying to find any stray kernels of corn while others follow me along the ice as if to ask, "Don't you have any more?"

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Calm Before the Storm -- But the Mallards Know

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The 23 degree temperature seemed balmy last night as I headed to Central Park because there was no wind.

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But, unlike most nights when the mallards are generally spread in a wide circle on the ice at Harlem Meer, they were last night huddled into a tight cluster near the weeds and tall reeds that surround parts of the lake.

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The ducks apparently knew a storm was coming despite the deceptive calm of the moment.

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Sly As a... Goose!

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Another story from my friend, Liliana.

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There are three Canada geese at the Boat Lake in Central Park -- A mated pair and the solitary goose, Liliana calls, "Loner."

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Liliana brings cracked corn and barley for all the ducks and geese.

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But, she brings peanuts for her favorite duck -- a domestic Khaki Campbell whom she calls, "My Boy" and for "Loner" because she feels particular sympathy for the Canada goose without flock or mate.

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Normally, Loner keeps respectable distance from the mated goose pair as the gander is not welcoming of him in their immediate space.

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But, in recent days the mated pair have apparently figured out that if they separate when Liliana arrives and each one positions himself or herself a few feet from Loner that Liliana cannot then tell the geese apart.

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All three geese thus get peanuts.

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A Romantic Dinner of Ice and Snow

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Valentine's Day is tomorrow.

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There is a small French restaurant on Madison Avenue and 90th Street that apparently has optimistic expectation for the evening.

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Outside the restaurant is a small, white clothed table, two chairs and menus awaiting. Photo snapped last night was taken in 23 degree temperature with snow in surrounding gutters.

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Nearly a foot of snow has since been added to New York City.

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I have already informed the love of my life of my desire for romantic dining at this restaurant.

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But, he informs me he is not keen for a romantic dinner of ice and snow.

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Apparently, that is only good for the ducks and geese of our parks, who, according to park officials, "have plenty of food" -- even during near blizzards.  -- PCA

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Dark Forms Against the White - New York City, a Vintage Black & White Movie this Winter

Black and white -- the images of New York City, this winter.

Park bench in Central Park.

Mallard drake in the snow.

The brave shall find a way.....

How do you know its been a bad winter?

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You know it's a bad winter when 25 degrees seems pleasant to you and freezing temperature (32 degrees) seems a heat wave.

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You know its a bad winter when opening your mouth to breathe, your tongue freezes.

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You knows its a bad winter when your nose and eyes run more than the winner of the NY marathon and people look at you piteously for the constant tears streaming down your face.

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You know its a bad winter when your puffer (non-down) coat becomes your most treasured, earthly possession.

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You know its a bad winter when the ice-covered running path around the Central Park Reservoir is completely devoid of runners.

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You know its a bad winter when your Sporto snow boots (which you thought you'd rarely need) have become your main fashion statement for the past two months. 

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And you know its a bad winter when you see the mallards at Harlem Meer digging through inches of snow to the grass below because the lake has entirely iced over -- choking off their main food supplies (aquatic plants).

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And finally, you know its a really, really bad winter when even the hundreds of Canada geese and ducks who normally winter at the open water Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park have been forced to take flight as their winter retreat has instead transformed into an icy glacier resembling something from the North Pole.

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Yes, it has been that kind of winter in New York City.

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A winter that has so far seen more than 40 inches of snow when the normal amount for the entire winter is 25 inches.

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A winter that has us all scratching our heads and wondering when was the last time we actually remember seeing grass -- or any color in NY?

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New York City has seemingly become a vintage black and white movie, the dark silhouettes of buildings, trees, people and animals contrasted against the constant white of the snow.

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But, still I wonder where all the geese and many of the ducks actually went to seek color and cover this winter?

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Judging from the photo contained in the article below, perhaps some place with lots of tall plants and weeds to wait out the storms and starkness of a black and white winter along most of the US.

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http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Not-much-to-do-about-geese-report--244017931.html

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Its nice to see color again -- if only in a photo.

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But, still some of the resilient, stubborn birds of NYC remain, their dark forms now surrounded by a constant blanket of white.  -- PCA

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Winter Wonder Land -- Where Do the Geese Go?

Where do the geese go?  A question of constant wonder this winter.

Footprints on the icy Reservoir this past Saturday -- two days before another storm.

Bandy at Harlem Meer this past Saturday....waiting.

Geese taking off from Reservoir Sunday evening while the flying was still good.

Reservoir on Sunday, following snow storm. Bird empty and nearly entirely frozen.

Winter wonderland -- Harlem Meer.

New York City has become a winter wonderland this season.

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We wonder how much snow and ice is going to be added to that already on the ground and covering watercourses?

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We wonder if we will experience further "Polar Vortex" with temperatures plunging to single digits and wind chills below zero?

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And we wonder if this winter will actually come to an end -- let's say, by June?

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But, most of all, I wonder where exactly the geese, ducks and other water birds go when the watercourses they normally winter on transform into frozen sheets of ice?

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The latter is a question that has vexed my consciousness for some weeks now -- especially noting all the times the wintering Canada geese (who normally spend January and most of February hunkered down at the Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park) have suddenly had to pack up and leave.

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There is little question that the geese seem to "know" or sense when matters are about to quickly go to hell weather-wise at least a day or two before they actually do. They generally fly out from the Reservoir while conditions are still reasonably mild and favorable.

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But where the geese (and other water birds) go for "shelter" from the type of storms we've been having all along the east coast (and even the south) is anyone's guess.

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Even large parts of the Hudson River have iced over causing the Coast Guard to work overtime with ice cutters trying to create passage for ships and boats.

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This past "Superbowl" weekend, the weather temporarily warmed up in New York City to balmy 40's and even 50's degree temperatures. 

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Geese began to trickle back to the Reservoir and by Sunday afternoon, most if not all of the roughly 300 wintering geese had cautiously settled down once more.

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But, no sooner had the geese returned when they began to organize themselves once again for take-off.

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I spent at least an hour just after the sun had gone down Sunday, listening to loud, excitable and constant honking amongst the many gaggles of geese on the semi-frozen water.  That kind of "chatter" and communication was sure sign that the geese were quickly gathering to soon fly out.

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Sure enough, one by one, the geese began to take off in their perfectly timed and highly organized flocks like airliners taking off from a runway.

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Usually the flying skeins consisted of 7 to 15 geese,  But, a few were as small as two geese or as many as 25,

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Many flocks stopped briefly at the North Meadow in Central Park  -- perhaps to graze a little --before taking flight again.

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But, where the geese ultimately went, I have no idea.

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I just know they left Central Park.

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Noting the brief return and departure of the Central Park wintering geese, it was not too surprising Sunday evening to go to Harlem Meer and discover that Bandy was gone.  The "loner" and banded Canada goose was seemingly left behind when her flock was presumably harassed out of the Meer by Geese Police a couple of weeks ago.

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I had been speculating all along that Bandy was waiting at the Meer for her family (or flock) to return and as soon as they did, she would rejoin them.

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I don't know for fact that actually occurred, but I am guessing -- and hoping that it did.

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It is usually not a bright future for a Canada goose without a family or flock.

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That we have had so many "loner" geese in Central Park over the past few years is seeming testament to human destruction and never ending harassment of these wondrous and courageous birds.

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Watching how deliberately and meticulously geese usually take off when flying on their own, it is more than apparent that when harassed, geese are forced to take flight in disorganized and even panicked fashion and this can often result in a goose being left behind (usually a younger goose).

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Hopefully, the geese can later reunite as is hopefully what occurred in Bandy's case.

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But, if the geese are migratory, that might not always be the case if the flock has simply moved on not to return to a harassment site.

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Nor can a reunion occur if the loner goose's mate or family has been wiped out. It is suspected that this occurred to Cago last summer when the loner female goose flew into Harlem Meer in late June. Having molted later than most geese and still flying in late June, Cago most likely survived a USDA WS cull that took out all her other family members.

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Since late last summer, there has also been a "loner" goose at the Boat Lake in Central Park.

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But, in this case, no reunion with mate or family has occurred. (Perhaps that is because this site is patrolled every day by Geese Police and if the goose family returned, they would be immediately harassed out.)

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My friend, Liliana monitors the goose she calls "Loner" everyday at the Boat Lake and reports to me.  

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Fortunately, for Loner, there is a mated pair of geese also at the Boat Lake who apparently are well accustomed to Geese Police and are not easily harassed out.

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The mated pair have begrudgingly "accepted" Loner into their space (as long as he keeps respectable distance), but it is speculated that arrangement is only temporary because of the current (non-nesting) seasons.

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When the gander of the pair wishes to mate again with his partner (usually in March), he will likely be relentless in kicking Loner out of the current cozy and convenient arrangement.

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Loner had better hope that there are some youthful, unpaired Canada geese that take up residence in the nearby Reservoir over the spring and summer. And even if that be the case, it will require many weeks before he might be accepted by them.

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It is not an easy life for loner geese.  They have to struggle for acceptance into established flocks and may have to spend many weeks and months being the "odd goose out" and lowest on totem pole.

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But, it is essential that all geese (and ducks) have family and/or flock, (regardless of hierarchal position) as they cannot ultimately survive for long as "loners."

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Cago's ultimate broken heart death last October is seeming proof of that.

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And this winter, we seem to have also lost "Mister, Mister" the mallard with broken wing at Harlem Meer.

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It wasn't the broken wing that ultimately killed Mister as he had survived with it since the early spring. Nor, was it, I believe, the frigid weather -- at least directly.

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But, alone on a frozen lake when all the other water birds had left (or, in the case of geese, been harassed out), Mister ultimately became an easy and highly visible target for an off leash, predatory dog or even predatory bird.

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Whatever the case, I have not seen Mister in well over a month and am quite sure at this point, he is dead.

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This is the first winter in the years I (and my friend, Liliana) have been observing waterfowl in Central Park that we have knowingly lost a duck or goose.

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But, for sure (especially realizing Mister's demise) had the four flightless domestic ducks from Harlem Meer and the three domestics from the Boat Lake not been rescued and responsibly placed this past November, it is highly unlikely they would have survived a winter like this on frozen lakes and as easy targets for predators.

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That is the one aspect of this winter, that I don't "wonder" about at all. -- The wisdom of getting those vulnerable ducks out of Central Park before the "iceman cometh."

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But for all the wild geese and ducks who DO miraculously survive, the question of where they go to beat the elements of a particularly brutal winter throughout most of the country is one of constant wonder.

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I just know that amongst their ranks are some really bitchin,' top notch weather forecasters -- or fortune tellers.

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Something tells me there are few things in life the geese actually wonder about.

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They just stoically  pack their gear when the going gets tough and fly out before the punches. -- PCA

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