| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
|
The ice has finally thawed on all the watercourses in Central Park. Turtles are emerging from lakes, cormorants and egrets have returned and the mallards are most frequently seen lazily and romantically sunning themselves along embankments with their mates.
.
And as predicted, the migratory Canada geese departed Central Park this past week to return to their breeding grounds far north.
.
Already, I miss the geese as the CP Reservoir appears so sparse and empty without them. On the other hand, I am happy the geese regained strength and energy enough (depleted from a brutal winter) to sustain them on the arduous journey of a thousand miles. Hopefully, they all make it safely back to their home grounds and are able to make up for any loss time in establishing territories and nesting.
.
Speaking of "nesting," several pairs of resident and formerly nesting geese have returned to Central Park. So far they are:
.
Napoleon and Josephine, who have once again claimed most of the lake at Harlem Meer. While there are two other goose pairs at the Meer, they are relegated to the far south east portion of the lake and dare not move far beyond that.
.
John and Mary, who can be seen any day or evening traversing and claiming the west side of the Central Park Reservoir -- as they have done every spring for at least the last three years.
.
Hansel and Greta, the misfortunate goose couple who last year, hatched three goslings at the Reservoir only to watch all three perish within a month. (The goslings failed to develop and thrive normally.) Though it is suspected that tampering and oiling of the eggs had something to do with loss of the three goslings, I personally don't have hard proof of that. (Egg addling/oiling is however a practice long conducted at Central Park.) Hansel and Greta are typically seen at the south or east portion of the Reservoir -- far from John and Mary.
.
Man and Lady, the goose couple who last year, finally hatched two goslings at the Boat Lake after previously losing 8 eggs to a combination of a rain storm and egg addling. Man and Lady returned to the Boat Lake over the past month with one of their surviving offspring. It is not known what happened to the other gosling. S/he may have perished over the particularly harsh winter.
.
While uplifting and reassuring to realize all these devoted goose pairs survived the winter and while it is truly joyful to see them again, unfortunately, such reunion is bittersweet. Sadly there is the knowledge and anticipation that all four couples will likely go through the rigors of nesting and vigilance only to once again lose their eggs or even worse, watch die, any goslings that might actually hatch.
.
Geese Police patrols Central Park every day (as it did even during the worst of winter when it was primarily migratory geese either resting or passing through) and Geese Police has responsibility for addling goose eggs in the spring to ensure they don't hatch.
.
Considering that only two healthy goslings have been allowed to hatch in Central Park in the past two years (one of whom is now presumed dead), it doesn't take a math wiz to figure that at this rate, there will be no resident geese at all in Central Park within a period of five years or so (or whenever present resident geese die out).
.
Currently, there are about 35 resident geese who call Central Park "home" during the late spring and summer months (down from more than a hundred a few years ago) and of these, only 4 to 6 nesting pairs. Since the goal is to addle all eggs, it is apparent that despite appearances for the moment, there is a "zero tolerance policy" towards Canada geese in Central Park as that is what current and ongoing actions will ultimately result in -- no resident geese.
.
As stated, all the migratory geese left Central Park this past week.
.
But, we are still fortunate to enjoy the return of our nesting and resident geese.
.
I hate to imagine what departure of migratory geese will be in a few years when there will be nothing to replace them other than a million bikes, runners and God only knows how many other sporting or other human activities.
.
There is even mumbling of bringing in "vintage cars" to replace carriage horses in a few years.
.
"Don't it always go to show that you don't know what you've got till its gone? Play a pair of dice and put up a parking lot."
.
For now, to celebrate and value the return of our still nesting and resident geese to Central Park.
.
But it is bittersweet reunion in recognition of the grief and losses the geese will again experience despite all diligence and tireless devotion to perpetuate their species.
.
Despite the beauty and joys of the spring, I do not look forward to its all too familiar and predictable bounties. -- PCA
.
.
.
************
No comments:
Post a Comment