(Photos: 1-- The Bradly Brigade enjoying a special laugh last night. 2--The forever proud Buster who last night, had to eat a little crow!)
"Buster!! What's with you? That is so MEAN!"
The above words were shrieked Mondy night to Buster after he meanly went after and pecked a female goose from another family who dared to swoop some seeds from my hand.
The poor goose girl was unceremoniously banished to the water!
"Buster, we really have to talk about this!"
But, upon issuing walking papers to the other goose, Buster innocently walked up to me expecting a reward for his diligent "work."
And of course, forever the "enabler," I ultimately rewarded Buster's bad behavior with a handful of black sunflower seeds.
I am like the parent who tells his/her kid, "No!" while putting out a full plate of Oreos!
As mentioned the other day, the migratory geese who spent almost two months at Harlem Meer seem to have taken off over the past week, presumably due to the abnormally warm weather.
I am not sure if they are actually migrating early or simply pond hopping around Central Park.
But, now it occurs that there could be a possible third explanation:
They were given their "walking papers" by Buster!
"Look, you guys have had a picnic here for the past two months and I have been more than charitable! But, we don't need you anymore to help maintain open water. Its time for you to move on! This is our watercourse!"
All joking and speculations aside however, it was reported on the news this morning that migratory cranes have returned a month earlier than normal to Nebraska and there is also this article describing how an abnormally warm winter resulted in many more thousands of geese and ducks staying in North Dakota. The migratory birds from Canada obviously did not have to fly so far south this winter and presumably many geese and ducks who might have left ND to migrate south elected to stay in the normally frigid state.
My guess now is that the migratory geese who were at Harlem Meer for the past two months probably embarked on their migratory trip north sooner than normal. (Of course, the shenanigans of Buster probably aided in that decision to leave the Meer early. There is just so much "goosing" a goose can take!)
Last night, I only saw Buster and his gaggle at the Meer, along with the resident ducks.
Buster's gaggle know the rules on grass well. In all these months, none of Buster's flock mates has ever dared to take treats from my hand.
Last night, all six of them remained grazing on one part of the grass while Buster took treats from my hand and proudly stood a few feet apart from the rest of the geese. Buster was happy with that arrangement and didn't have to "goose" anyone. Buster is like a king on a thrown.
Nevertheless, it was hilarious last night to see Piggly (one of the three domestic ducks) suddenly take a hard swipe at Buster's butt when Buster's back was turned.
Shocked and humiliated, Buster quickly bolted around!
"What was THAT?! Why you little turd! Just WHO do you think you are? Take that!"
Buster issued a gentle warning peck to Piggly's tail feathers, mostly to redeem some damaged pride in front of his flock mates.
But, Piggly, having been so relentlessly and viciously jabbed by mallards when first dropped off at the Meer was not at all bothered.
He simply scampered a few feet away while seemingly laughing to himself.
"Ah, I have been wanting to do that for so long to that gander who is so full of himself!"
It was the fist time I had ever seen any duck or goose attempt to take a swipe at Buster. How funny that it was the one bird who only months ago was the very lowest on the totem pole of the entire Meer.
Piggly has certainly come a long way!
Much of that has to do of course with Piggly's ultimate acceptance and welcoming to Brad's elite flock. Brad, Piggly and Wiggly are now, without question, the top birds of the Meer. And while Buster may "rule" the geese and migratory visitors, even he defers and shows respect to the three top ducks.
So, for now all is peaceful and relatively quiet at the Meer.
The migratory birds have left and both, the duck and geese rulers enjoy a mostly peaceful accord.
I am guessing that Buster and his flock will eventually leave the Meer when mating and molting season rolls around (or, they may be harassed from there).
I have never seen a breeding pair of geese stay at the Meer or any raising of goslings there.
My guess is that there is too much human activity at Harlem Meer during the spring (especially fishing) and there are not a whole lot of "off limit" areas to safely raise goslings.
A gaggle of ten geese did molt at the Meer last summer. But, they were not Buster and his crew. The geese were extremely scared and wary of people and spent most of the summer hiding out in the middle of the lake. When venturing on grass, they stayed very close to the water's edge in order to bolt at a second's notice. The gaggle never approached me or seemingly anyone else. As soon as they grew in their flight feathers, the ten geese immediately vacated the Meer.
I always had the feeling the 2011 summer gaggle were refugees from somewhere else.
Perhaps they were harassed from another location or might have been survivors of a USDA roundup somewhere in the city. Or, they may have even been migratory geese who for some inexplicable reason, (health or injury?) were unable to migrate back to Canada prior to the spring. The geese did not appear to be robust when first arriving to the Meer around June -- though as the summer wore on, their appearance improved. (My guess is that still being able to fly in June, they were survivors of a USDA roundup elsewhere in the city.)
But, quite frankly, I would be very surprised to see this particular gaggle return to Harlem Meer this summer. It seemed too stressful a location for the very people-shy or even traumatized flock.
Last night, as I left the Meer, the Bradly Brigade, the other ducks and Buster and his gaggle hopped in the water and once again escorted me towards the exit. (How could I ever find my way out of the park without them showing me the way?)
"Good night, guys! Enjoy the rest of the spring-like evening! Be nice to each other!"
Walking home, I noticed new tiny buds on some of the trees.
Indeed, spring is not far away.
And so yes, thoughts turned to spring last night and the summer not far behind.
I really hope that Buster and his flock might elect to molt at the Meer over the summer.
I have grown so accustomed to his face and his antics, that I cannot imagine the Meer without Buster.
I think, even Piggly wants that now.
There is, after all, little doubt today that Piggly is proudly boasting and laughing about the night he pecked Buster's butt! -- PCA
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