A One Day Respite for Wildlife and Then Back to "Arctic Freeze"

Her beak covered in snow, a mallard hen hops to running path in search of treat last night.

A pair of newly arrived shovelers this morning at Reservoir heading towards small pool of open water.

Another dead Canada goose frozen on ice this morning at Reservoir.

The geese coming on embankment this morning to compete with more aggressive ducks for food.

A "very bad" mallard drake -- chasing and harassing others and then proudly posing for photo on Reservoir running path this morning.

Another sad loss to report at the Reservoir this morning.  A second Canada goose was lying dead and frozen far out on the ice.

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That makes at least six birds who have perished during the so-called, "Siberian Express" at the Central Park Reservoir in just the last week and a half.  (Keep in mind, these are just the deaths I have personally seen.)

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So desperate have matters become that the geese are now climbing onto the sloped and slippery embankment to compete with the mallards for food.

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When arriving to the Reservoir this morning, at least two flocks of geese were observed flying out. Speculation is that the temporary warmer temperatures inspired the geese to seek some grazing opportunity in hopes some of the newly fallen snow might be soft and melting on Central Park lawns. I'm not sure if that is true, but the geese have to start finding food somewhere. What I and a few other people are able to provide is simply not enough for the number of mallards, geese and other water birds seeking refuge at the Reservoir during these bitter and abnormal weeks in February.

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Competition among the ducks for food is particularly frenzied. This morning, one mallard drake was unwilling to share anything and harassed other mallards away. He then stood in front of me (posing for a photo) as if proud of himself. I told him he was a "very bad boy" and I would never feed him again -- but of course, the latter was a lie.

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I guess they all have to do what they have to do to survive.

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A warm and very temporary (40 degree) respite today. But by tomorrow morning, we will be back to "Arctic Freeze" in NYC and near single digit temperatures again.

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I trust the geese who flew out this morning in search of grazing will be back. I hope that they will have managed to find some dried up shreds of grass somewhere.

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But, I can't frankly remember the last time I saw a blade of green grass in Central Park. And to think that spring is less than a month away! The geese, ducks and other birds must be wondering the same thing.  Will spring ever arrive this year?

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Judging by the still shrinking open pool of water at the Reservoir (now just under the fountain itself), the freshly fallen snow, temperatures about to dive once again and another frozen body on the ice this morning, it's easy to think spring is just an illusion or example of wishful thinking.

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Brace yourselves, little ones for another hard week in a winter that seems unending. It's going to be a bumpy night and then some.  -- PCA

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