One of Central Park Reservoir Goslings in Jeopardy

Binky -- a gosling on constant move and in jeopardy now.

The family four nights ago when reunited again.

Now that they can fly again, the other geese are departing the Reservoir.

Mom and Dad with two of their fast growing goslings.

 

At least half the molting geese at the Central Park Reservoir have regained their flight feathers and immediately departed over the past two days. It is anticipated the rest will soon follow as the geese are eager to move on.

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Geese who won't soon be moving on are, however, the family as the seven-week-old goslings are not yet ready to fly and won't be for at least several more weeks.

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Sadly, there is troubling news to report on the family.

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One of the four goslings pulled up lame over the past week.

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"Binky" (my name for him) has not been able to come up on or walk the jagged rocks and over the past two days, has drifted away from the rest of the family on the water -- presumably while they were roosting or resting on the rocks.

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The last time I saw Binky two nights ago, he was with the family and appeared to be getting a little stronger in the hurt leg. I felt encouraged when seeing him briefly stand at the water's edge of the rocks -- something not observed in the previous three days.  But such hope and optimism might have been premature.

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(As previously noted, it is nearly impossible to rescue a hurt or sick bird at the Reservoir, due to lack of access to both pedestrians and park rangers.  In this particular case, one would also need a boat as Binky was/is always in the water. )

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Not seeing the lame gosling for two days (despite three trips around the Reservoir), I thought Binky might have perished, but two other bird observers reported seeing him swimming alone, far away from the family -- including as late as last night.

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I am concerned for Binky for several reasons, most notably, the separation from his family, but also because the geese's main food sources (plants and reeds) and opportunities for rest are on the rocks -- which of course, Binky can't access.

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Unless something rapidly changes, the outlook for Binky's survival is grim. It is not so much the injury that is life threatening nor is there large presence of predators around the Reservoir.  But, goslings do need to be with the families and they need healthy quantities of food and rest. None of these Binky is getting now (assuming he is still alive) nor is there any means for me (or anyone I know) to personally rescue him.

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(I should add that four nights ago, Binky had also drifted away from the family, but I was able to "herd" him back to his parents and siblings. All was fine for the time being, but did not last.  Unfortunately, with all the dense foliage surrounding the Reservoir, I have not been able to spot Binky over past two days. One has to hope the family reconnects on its own on the mile and a quarter watercourse.)

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The Central Park Reservoir is one of the safest and most peaceful places in New York City for migratory geese to rest and for molting geese to undergo the four-to-five week period they are without flight feathers. There are no dogs at the Reservoir, no fishing and no harassment conducted.

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But, in terms of bountiful grass and food supplies, the Reservoir is lacking and for any injured or sick bird, it is like a watery or icy graveyard.  At least ten water-birds virtually starved to death at the Reservoir this past winter when it was iced over and there were no means to rescue any of the suffering birds.

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I hope Binky isn't going to be our first casualty at the Reservoir this summer.

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As noted so many times, the hope for future resident Canada geese at Central Park lies with these four goslings who miraculously hatched this past Memorial Day.

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But now, one of those little miracle lives is already in serious jeopardy -- as all three goslings were lost at the Reservoir last summer. -- PCA

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