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So far, this spring there have been four observable and nesting goose pairs in Central Park -- down from eight of last year.
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Of the four nesting couples, two have lost their entire batch of eggs due to mysterious circumstances. A third pair has suffered the loss of at least two eggs, (observed smashed and broken at the side of the nest) and the fourth, well, it's not quite clear what is actually happening with the fourth nesting pair.
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That is because of the interesting things learned about Canada geese, one of them is that nesting hens are capable of constructing a kind of blanket with which to cover and completely hide their eggs from view. The "blanket" appears to be a carefully woven composition of old leaves, twigs and down feathers that when woven and bound together, forms one complete and solid piece of gold and white that can be cleverly pulled over the eggs in order to camouflage and hide them.
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I learned this yesterday when observing Greta and her mate, Hansel, still nesting at the Reservoir.
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When seeing the pair this past Sunday, it appeared that (like John and Mary to the north side of the watercourse), Greta had suddenly lost all of her five eggs as none were visible in the small, flat nest. Moreover, the nesting hen appeared nervous and agitated, constantly staring down and pecking at the dirt and gold leaves below her feet as if "searching" for something.
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Unlike the previous two pairs of geese forced to abandon suddenly emptied nests, Greta eventually sat down again on hers and appeared to resume nesting.
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Doesn't she realize all her eggs are gone? I wondered. What I was seeing wasn't making a lot of sense. But, it would not be the first time of being surprised this week.
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The following day (Tuesday) when returning to the scene, I was first surprised to find Greta still on the nest. But, I was even more surprised, when seeing her stand up, that there were at least two large and perfect eggs beneath her!
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I had read and known that some geese, when losing eggs, lay more. (This is why oiling goose eggs is generally considered preferable to destroying them outright. -- So the hen continues to sit on the unviable eggs and doesn't lay more.) But could such be accomplished within such a short time span? I was completely perplexed!
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But surprise turned to utter shock yesterday when again seeing Greta stand up in the nest and noting six eggs beneath her! How is such even possible? I wondered. (Apparently if geese lose eggs within fourteen days of laying them, they can quickly lay more.)
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Totally baffled by the swift changing circumstances with Greta (one day she has eggs, the next day she doesn't and then the next day she has them again), I continued to walk around the Reservoir, taking time to greet John and Mary who only a few days before, lost their entire batch of six eggs. Surprisingly, the pair (who for the past three years, have nested at the Reservoir only to all three times lose their eggs), were observed swimming around the nesting area again. Does this mean they are going to try again? Nesting season was beginning to become a series of unanswerable and baffling mysteries.
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Finally, having walked full circle, I returned back to Greta. Once again, Greta was standing in her nest and this time, no eggs were visible!
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And then I saw Greta gently tugging at the "blanket" she had so delicately woven and carefully pulled over the eggs. Not a hint of white shell anywhere!
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I then had to ask myself: Was this what had occurred on Sunday when no eggs were visible in the nest? Had Greta simply been hiding them under the carefully constructed blanket?
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The "blanket" is not big -- perhaps a foot or so in diameter and it is only about 1/4 of an inch thick. It's possible that when laid out carefully over the eggs, the ground could appear "flat," as it appeared yesterday -- and Sunday.
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On the other hand, could the eggs have been removed and/or tampered with by humans on Sunday as has deliberately been done for years in Central Park and apparently done to two other nesting geese this year -- including one on the Reservoir this past weekend?
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It's really hard to know in the specific case of Greta and her "disappearing eggs" if this is due to cleverness on the part of the goose (i.e. nature) or nefarious actions of humans.
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The only real way to know for sure would be on the actual date the eggs hatch. If hatching during the last week in May, it would indicate these are the original eggs and were simply covered and hidden from view on Sunday. But, if hatching after the first week in June, it would mean these are new eggs layed in the last couple of days following predation of the original five.
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The "problem" with either of the above scenarios, is that the eggs are unlikely to hatch at all as is the recent track history of goose eggs in Central Park and the practices of egg addling and goose harassment. As previously noted, of the more than 40 goose eggs laid last year in Central Park, only two healthy goslings hatched. (That is not "nature." That is human depredation.)
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Reality is, we may never know the answer to the mysteries of Greta and her "vanishing eggs."
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But, in writing about Central Park and its wildlife policies and treatment of Canada geese, I seek to be as honest, fair and factual as possible.
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And though human intervention (egg destruction) is the usual and typical explanation for why goose eggs "disappear" or don't hatch in Central Park, it may not be applicable in every case.
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Greta might just be one very clever goose -- and a real good leaf and down weaver. -- PCA
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