"Adaptability," The Canada Goose's Should-Be Middle Name

At long last, the migratory Canada geese finally pass through New York City.

Resting against the back drop of NYC skyline.

Ah, at last, a little shut-eye!

Four of the geese catch a little sleep, while one keeps watchful and alert eye.

Some may wonder why I haven't written of NYC's Canada geese in a while.

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That's because the main thrust of the fall migration hasn't occurred until this last week. 

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The Central Park Reservoir and other watercourses have been primarily goose-empty over the past few months with the exception of one resident goose family at the Boat Lake and a few skeins of early migratory geese who passed through NYC in September and October.

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But, there has been much bird activity (including many diving ducks and mallards) over the past week and it has been consistent.  

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Each night there has been anywhere from 40 to 100 geese who arrive at the CP Reservoir to briefly rest and who just as quickly depart by the following morning.  

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It's quite amazing to realize many (if not most) of the geese arrive here from places as far away as Labrador which is at the north east tip of Canada close to the Arctic. And New York City is only a temporary rest stop on a journey composed of thousands of miles to places far south of New York.

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It is perhaps no small surprise that most of the geese appear exhausted after their long and arduous trip. Most times the geese appear as statues in the water, barely moving. Other times a small group will turn their heads on their backs to try and catch a little shut eye while a designated flock or family member keeps vigilant watch for any danger or threat.

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Last month, a large gaggle of about 80 geese arrived to the Central Park Reservoir the night before the World Citizen rock concert was to be held at the nearby Great Lawn. There were loud "booms" bursting through the park as the bands rehearsed and I was certain the geese would be so spooked by what sounded like little earthquakes that they would immediately take off.

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But, the geese were apparently so tired and spent that they stayed throughout the raucous commotion and didn't leave until the next morning. It's apparently very necessary for migratory birds to replenish energy reserves before they can take off again.  

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Give credit to Canada geese for having the gumption to migrate through New York City in the first place. The skyscrapers, lights and noise seem like they would be enough to deter most migratory birds and indeed they do deter many species. But even though they may originate from obscure or rural places in the world, Canada geese are extremely adaptable -- even to rock concerts and fire work displays happening in the city at any given time.

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If nothing else, Canada geese are a very hearty and I daresay, courageous bird. Very little deters or actually terrifies them from doing what they have to do. As New York City is part of the Atlantic flyway, the geese come through here and neither snow, wind, rain, rock concerts or even rockets going off will dampen their enthusiasm or set them off course.

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But, apparently changes in weather patterns might actually alter the geeses timing of migrations. I am wondering if an unusually warm winter last year and mild summer and early fall this year has caused the seemingly late migration this year? Last year, most of the migratory geese passed through NYC in October. But we are late into November and most of the geese are only now arriving.

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I am not sure if that signals anything about what kind of winter we will have or if it just means geese take advantage of mild weather and don't willingly move until they have to.

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But, if true that the geese are good predictors of weather patterns, I am guessing that the next few weeks are suddenly going to turn a lot colder in New York City.

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And then we just wait for the late migratory geese and mallards who typically arrive in New York City in late December or even early January to actually winter here.

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Those are the ones who brace themselves for whatever kind of winter New York City will have. I hope for their sakes that this winter will be nothing like those of 2013 and 2014 in which thousands of waterbirds (mostly ducks) perished throughout the north east due to record snow falls, cold and subsequent starvation.

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Hoping for, if not a warm winter this year, at least a normal one. -- whatever "normal" means in a world undergoing indisputable climate change.   

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In any case, the Canada geese will figure it out.  Of that, I am reasonably confident, "adaptability" being the geese's should-be, middle name. -- PCA

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