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Checking this blog from a year ago, it was noted that Hansel, Greta and their goslings left the Central Pak Reservoir one week before the goslings turned three months old. This year, John, Mary and their three goslings also departed Central Park last week -- exactly one week prior to their babies turning three months old.
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Is there a pattern here?
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Do geese have a calendar or stringent time schedule?
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If the "theory" is right, then Hansel, Greta and their three goslings will depart the Reservoir some time this week as their latest crop of youngsters hatched in mid May.
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What is known at this time is that the goslings not only can fly, but in fact, are eager to do so.
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Yesterday morning, I walked around the Reservoir.
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Suddenly loud, excited honking could be heard emanating from the skies above me. At first, I thought a large gaggle of geese was flying to the Reservoir from some northern point in the park or city.
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But, it was only five geese.
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They flew over the trees and landed proficiently and joyously in the water below me.
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When the five geese made their way to the rocks to happily greet me, it was more than obvious they were Hansel, Greta and the three babies.
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The family had either been out on an early morning flying exercise or perhaps had briefly stopped to graze at the North Meadow which is close to the Reservoir.
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Certainly the preparations are underway for a soon departure from the Reservoir and Central Park. But, where exactly the geese go during the fall and winter is a complete mystery. While seemingly eager to show me that they all can fly now, none are divulging that secret.
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In all, there were close to 40 geese who stayed at the Reservoir during the molt this year. They included the two families (who hatched a total of six goslings) and roughly close to 30 other geese -- a number similar to that of last year.
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As noted, the Central Park Reservoir is a secure and safe location for geese who cannot fly. There are few predators and the geese are safe from human activities -- most notably, USDA goose culls.
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Sadly, more government orchestrated goose slaughters occurred in New York City again this year. However, with the exception of 50 geese captured and killed from Brookville Park in Queens, we don't know where the other roundups occurred. There apparently was little public monitoring or reporting this year as in other recent years. We will have to wait until USDA "Wildlife Services" issues a report on their NYC goose "removals" sometime in the next few months.
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With the exception of Hansel, Greta and their three hatchlings, all other geese left the Reservoir over the past few weeks once they regained their flight feathers.
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There was a time I thought the two families might depart together since they appeared to develop a bond during the gosling-rearing period. But, it seems calendar and time schedules might dictate their patterns more than particular alliances they may form during the seasons.
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When it comes down to it, tight family units are the driving force among geese, though they do form large group alliances during the migration and molting seasons.
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But family unit and call of the wild are the things that keep the blood flowing and the wings flying in Canada geese.
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I trust I only have a few more days to enjoy the special comradery I have enjoyed these past few months with Hansel, Greta and their three new babies.
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But, God willing, they will all be back next spring as they were this and previous years. --PCA
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