When you're wrong, admit, suck it up, smile and move on........
I may have been wrong in speculating that the geese arriving to Harlem Meer the other night were migratory -- though it certainly is quite possible that some were.
There were, after all, several dozen geese and they don't wear signs announcing where they arrived from.
Last night, I returned to the Meer and was surprised to find that at least 40 geese were still around.
But, their seeming ease and familiarity with the environment and people compelled me to question if they were migratory at all or rather, the former resident flock of Harlem Meer returned once again.
Things are just so weird this year......
The resident geese of Harlem Meer were expected back in late August and September.
But, as written endlessly here, there was virtually no sign of them all these months.
Normally, the geese and mallards gather at Harlem Meer (a waterfowl "staging site") in the early fall just prior to migrations. There typically could be as many as 75 geese at the Meer starting in August and lasting until the lake started to freeze. (Of course the "harassment" practiced at Central Park would send many of the waterfowl leaving at various times as has been described. This would make determinations of whether the geese actually "migrated" or simply were banished very difficult.)
But, this year, everything has been upside down, totally unpredictable and "unnormal."
It seems the resident geese are only returning to the Meer over the past week or two to gather.
And "gathering" is indeed the word.
Imagine the surprise last night to find at least two goose families gathered with Buster and his clan along the south bank of the lake!
Buster was none too happy and attempted to "goose" several of the new arrivals.
But, the geese appeared to be older and more worldly than the impetuous and cantankerous Buster and were neither upset by him nor intimidated.
In fact, a number of them confidently walked up to me and gently took treats from my hand as if it was a daily routine.
(If these were "migratory" geese, then they must have arrived from some northern area that was extremely goose friendly as they had absolutely no fear of people. -- Perhaps Canada?)
Poor Buster. All this show and bravado for geese who merely shrugged off his antics as gestures of the immature.
After a while, Buster had little choice but to settle down and accept the newcomers. They apparently know more than he does.
Aside from the 14 gregarious and confident geese who took up gathering position with Buster and his shy, young crew, there was an additional 20 or so geese in the water near the west side of the lake. Among these were the family of 4 divers (still diving) and others who seemed perfectly relaxed and curious watching people walk by.
"Migratory?" Could be. But, my guess once again, (based on the behavior) is that most (or all) of the new geese were more likely the resident Central Park geese finally "gathering" at Harlem Meer in preparation to migrate.
More than three months later than normal.....
Indeed, it has been a very warm Autumn in New York City.
Even the brief cold snap we had for a couple of days, broke yesterday and temperatures once again rose to the high 40's.
Ice that had begun for form around the edges of the lake was melted by last night.
So what now?
Will the gathering geese stay around a while? Will they be harassed out of the Meer? Or, will they slowly leave in flocks once the lake starts to freeze to make the long, treacherous journey south (as would be normal)?
I have no idea.
But, I do know I am not the only one still wondering where the migratory geese actually are.
Today, there is an obnoxious "outdoors" article (complete with "last year's photos") from a Chicago hunter whining and wondering why the migratory geese have not shown up yet to be shot at.:
In this case, one would guess that (rather than global warming), the missing migratory geese were either all shot last year by this hunter and his buddies or wised up and are avoiding Chicago this year like the plague. -- Let's hope its the latter.
Meanwhile, in my zeal and wish to finally see migratory geese again, I instead, seem to have goose egg on my face.
But, it still was exciting the other night to hear the beautiful chorus of sounds from arriving geese to the background of Christmas music.
Even if the "traverse afar" was not from thousands of miles, but merely a couple:
"Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in a stone-cold tomb
Oh, star of wonder; star of night
star of royal beauty bright
Westward leading
Still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light."
*****
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