(Photos: 1-- "Dusky,' the American Black Duck at Harlem Meer 2-- Dusky next to and seemingly protecting Chrissy.)
"Just passing through!"
Such might be the credo of the Canada geese flying over and through Central Park these days.
Lots of movement last night......
Some geese resting at the Reservoir. Others flying over it. I saw a few geese flying over the North Meadow.
And as I arrived to Harlem Meer, a skein of about a dozen geese were taking off and leaving it.
There were in fact, a number of geese at the Meer last night, though not as many as a few days ago.
There seems to be so much movement these days that the numbers of migratory geese either just passing through or briefly stopping for a day or two varies greatly from one day to the next.
For birders keeping counts, this must be either a very exciting time or a dizzying one!
Of course, some of our park waterfowl doesn't fly around very much.
I saw my usual troupes last night, including Buster and his gang of 7 geese, the Bradley Brigade (three domestic ducks), Chrissy, the lame mallard and Dusky, the American Black Duck.
Whoops......I realize I have not written of "Dusky" before!
I noticed Dusky a few months ago.
The black duck is obviously noticeable because of his very dark plumage and the dark shading on the webs of his orange feet.
I don't know for certain Dusky is a male, though am guessing so because of the brightly colored bill. (Female Black American Ducks supposedly have dull, greenish bills.) And I also don't know if Dusky is, in fact, a full American Black Duck or a hybrid.
But, over the past few months, I have seen Dusky a number of times, though not every night.
He showed up last night and oddly enough, seemed to be hanging with Chrissy!
Perhaps its because both ducks are so "different" from all the others (though for different reasons, obviously) there is a bit of an affinity between them?
Of course, one cannot speculate or judge anything based on only one night's observance. But, throughout my fifteen minutes or so last night at the Meer, both Dusky and Chrissy were clearly together and he is the one duck who doesn't try to steal from or harass Chrissy.
Moreover, when I left and the birds followed me in the water, Chrissy and Dusky were swimming together!
Of course if true that these two ducks are in the process of forming an alliance together, it would not be the first time, birds of similar plight (i.e. "loners") or breed "flocked together."
The best example of that of course is the "Bradley Brigade" (Brad, Piggly and Wiggly) which only came together over the past few months and is rock solid now.
Another strange happening last night was that Chrissy, took seeds directly from my hand!
That is highly unusual for a mallard.
Indeed, the only duck who eats from my hand is Brad and it took many months for him to work up the trust or confidence to do that.
I cannot be sure of the reason for Chrissy attempting such "risky" action but it could be she figured that it might be the only real way for her to get food without losing it to the stronger, overpowering mallards.
Chrissy seems to "compensate" in smarts what she lacks in physical ability much the same way, Piggly learned to compensate for early mallard attacks by moving quickly and darting.
Piggly is still the fastest bird at the Meer and now uses that quickness and "darting" ability to actually grab food before the mallards or geese can get to it.
In fact, so "aggressive" is Piggly, he even takes butt shots at the geese, including Buster! (And to think how "sorry" I used to feel for Piggly when he was first dropped off at the Meer and picked on by everyone, including, Brad!)
Piggly has truly "come a long way, baby!"
Well, I am hoping that despite her disabilities, Chrissy can come a long way too -- or at least find a friend.
Could Dusky be the one?
Only time will ultimately tell -- as it always does.
But, for the moment, to enjoy all the new movements in and over the park.
The beautiful, haunting calls of the migratory Canada geese as they come and they go.
And the movement of a possible new alliance. -- PCA
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