(Photos: 1-- What clearly appears to be, dangling fishing line from tree at Boat Lake yesterday. 2-- Mama goose, with Papa directly behind her. Note missing webbing on half of her foot.)
Good news, bad news and the forever in-between.
First, the good news (and mostly, there is good news in today's entry).
It seems some of the calls made last week to city park agencies complaining about illegal and careless fishing resulted in better patrols and monitoring.
A couple of days ago, two police on motorcycles checked the large, food storage bag of a fisherman at the boat lake in Central Park. This was to presumably insure he wasn't taking fish home (catch and release fishing only in city parks). But, since the fisherman had recently arrived, he didn't have any fish in the bag. Police talked to him a while and then left him alone.
It was good to see this because it indicates law enforcement is doing a better job of monitoring the fishing in Central Park and hopefully, educating.
Now, the bad news:
Unfortunately, the cops can't be everywhere, all the time.
Yesterday, while revisiting the boat lake, I noticed what clearly appeared to be, fishing line dangling from a tree branch.
While the hanging fishing line doesn't necessarily pose a direct threat to Mama and Papa goose still at the boat lake (unless it falls into the water), it does pose immediate danger to any tree-flying birds.
I took a photo and reported it to Central Park and its ranger staff today.
Hopefully, rangers remove the line quickly before it ensnares tree-flying birds or falls into the lake and threatens turtles and waterfowl.
One needs to stay constantly on top of these matters. There are unfortunately, too many fisherpeople in our parks who, either don't know how to fish responsibly or don't care.
This ongoing saga to be continued....
There was a total of nine geese at the Boat Lake yesterday. Mama and Papa in their usual locations and seven other geese swimming further south on the lake.
But, while enjoying special moments with and photo-taking of Mama and Papa on a rock, the seven geese took off from the lake in two separate skeins. First a group of three and shortly thereafter, four geese. The geese flew low in the sky, barely topping the trees and presumably "pond hopping."
This pleased me as it seemed to suggest that the geese currently at Central Park are not being "harassed" as much as (like the mallards) doing their share of "joy riding" or flying for the fun and adventure of it.
Since the geese were not paired off, one suspects they may be the grown offspring of Mama and Papa, as well as the two other Central Park goose pairs who have produced goslings over the past three years.
Not a big population of Central Park "resident" geese, for sure. Nevertheless, one has to hope that not all of the (roughly, 20) Central Park geese gather and molt in one location over the summer as such could be a deadly invitation to the USDA.
It is also comforting to guess that (due to the late date and location) Mama and Papa goose are not attempting to nest this year (thought that is not yet certain).
This is pleasing to me for several reasons: First, new goslings are obviously not welcomed in New York City. Were Mama and Papa to nest again, there is good chance their eggs would be oiled. But, even more compelling than that is the knowledge that (as noted) Mama and Papa are not young geese. I personally believe the stress of nesting, hatching and rearing young would particularly be too much for Mama and could endanger her life.
Since Mama and Papa are so welded together as to practically be linked at the wing, it is hard to imagine one without the other. The fact is, these two geese have been a mated pair for many years. Looking at old and current photos of them, they are constantly aware of each other and seem to think from one heart and one mind.
Both geese even walk with a pronounced limp -- Mama because she is missing half the webbing on one of her feet. Papa, because of either a painful past encounter with a snapping turtle or fishing line.
Perhaps that is why I am so adamant and "emotional" about protecting birds from ensnarement in carelessly discarded fishing lines. I don't want to see further foot and leg damages to Mama or Papa. (Just seeing the crippled sea gull recently at Harlem Meer flying with at least six feet of fishing line dangling from his/her leg was enough to send me into a tizzy of phone calls and protest.)
Nevertheless, despite the worries and disdain over careless fishing in our parks and the dread and loathing of another threatened USDA goose roundup and slaughter in New York City, there are those wonderful and lovely moments when encountering other lovers of wildlife Central Park.
Last night for example.
A young, Asian couple was behind me and curiously watched when I was photographing the two geese and Mama took some sunflower seeds from my hand.
"They really seem to know you." the young man smiled.
"Oh yes, these are really sweet and social geese!" I answered cheerfully.
"Are they Canadian geese?"
"Well, actually, 'Canada geese' is the correct term......"
The curious couple then asked other questions which I was only too happy to answer -- including telling them the entire history of Mama and Papa and the goslings they raised together in 2010.
"I hope my girlfriend and I can be like them," the young man smiled again while softly gazing into the eyes of the young woman beside him.
"Well, if you are anything like these two geese, then you will be hobbling around in your old age together!" I laughed.
A short time later, Mama and Papa left to return to the favorite "safety" and romantic rock in the middle of the lake and the couple and I said good night.
But, when finally leaving the Central Park Rambles to return home, I noted the young couple sharing a gentle kiss beneath a tree.
I wondered if the young woman realized she just had a marriage proposal a few minutes earlier?
All thanks to and because of two, very romantic, "soul mate" geese. ;) -- PCA
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