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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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