For the past month I have been speculating that most of the geese recently observed at Harlem Meer are migratory visitors from the north.
But, I have recently learned that it's quite possible that some (or many?) might have actually "migrated" from as near as Prospect Park in Brooklyn!
According to the woman who writes a Prospect Park blog, goose harassment has recently been used at Prospect Park and there are currently few geese there:
(This news has apparently also been confirmed from the Prospect Park Alliance.)
It is disturbing to learn that harassment would be used in any NYC park at a time many of the observed geese would be migratory.
Geese migrating from Canada to New York City for winter generally leave during the late days in February to return to their northern breeding grounds and birth places.
(What possible reason would there be to thus "harass" migratory and other birds -- especially during the times that park usage by humans is at its lowest points?)
The news about goose harassment currently occurring at Prospect Park is disturbing on many levels, not just the fact of terrorizing migratory and resident birds for no apparent or economically sound reason.
Though quite evident that most of the geese at Harlem Meer now are non-resident geese, the question that has to be considered is whether some are Prospect Park geese who have simply been chased and escaped to Central Park?
If that is the case, then those geese would not "migrate" back to Canada next month, but would likely attempt to find safe sanctuary and stay at Central Park.
And that could have dire and deadly consequences for ALL the geese still in Central Park over the spring.
It could mean Central Park being put on the USDA list for "goose cullings" in the summer as it is actually closer to an area airport than Prospect Park in Brooklyn..
I am worried now......
Of course there is no way to tell at Harlem Meer which geese are actually migratory or which might have been chased from Prospect Park or other "harassment" locations.
It is virtually impossible to decipher much of anything -- much less "predict" which geese will leave or which might attempt to stay in the spring.
In following up on the blog post from the other day, this appears to be just one more example of goose "harassment" being perverted from its original intent (i.e. to "shoo" geese off of heavily used park lawns, ball fields or golf courses and direct them towards watercourses such as shown in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FKmXkF1NCE) to something far more sinister and irrational:
The endless persecution and eradication of, not just "resident" geese, but migratory geese as well, any time of the year.
These birds truly have no safe place to go where they will not be shot at, rounded up and killed or endlessly harassed.
I am just grateful for the geese I am still able to see each day at Central Park and pray that they can miraculously find some safe sanctuary come the spring -- but, I have no idea where that may be, especially in New York City. -- PCA
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