(Photo: Papa and Mama goose staking their ground.)
One of the best TV series in my view was, The Hatfields vs The McCoys which aired a few months ago and was based upon true events surrounding conflict between two families in post civil war America.
But, in some ways I have been witness in the past two months to a kind of "Hatfields vs McCoys" conflict between two families.
But, there have been no guns, no real violence, no romantic transgressions and the families aren't even human.
They are geese.
It has been the conflict of the, "Busters vs the Papas."
The Buster family is comprised of Buster, his "wife" Bonnie and their six now grown goslings hatched in late April of this year.
The Papa family is of course, Papa goose, his older "wife," Mama, their four "kids" hatched in 2010 and three additional hangers-on (although goose # 9 has tendency to come and go).
Last year it was only Papa and his clan who peacefully molted at the Boat Lake without interference -- nine geese in all, as is the same this year.
But, this spring, Buster and Bonnie showed up from Harlem Meer.
Perhaps Buster and his mate were harassed from the Meer or they simply decided the Boat Lake was a far more desirable location to nest and raise young.
In late April, Bonnie and Buster became the proud parents of six baby goslings. By early May the "family" was freely traveling around the Boat Lake and venturing into the space of Papa and his clan.
In the beginning, (perhaps in deference to and celebration of a new goose family with tiny young) Papa, Mama and their charges would immediately move and vacate any area where the new family wanted to go.
But, over time as the goslings grew and began to take on some of the pushy, dominant characteristics of their dad, Buster, Papa's family had to adapt and develop some moxie to stand ground.
But, this has not been an easy venture for Papa goose who to this point, was always the unquestioned leader of geese both at Turtle Pond and the Boat Lake.
No geese ever challenged Papa's seniority and authority before.
But, suddenly this summer, Papa was faced with a larger, younger, stronger and quite frankly, "bullying" gander made even more so, by the hatching and raising of a formidable young family.
What was Papa to do?
Papa could not directly challenge and take on Buster for all of the stated reasons. In a battle between the two lead ganders, Buster would surely win and Papa would be forever humiliated and brought down in status.
So, apparently Papa formulated a "plan."
That plan meant welcoming the three unrelated geese into Papa's clan earlier in the summer, bringing his "family" number up to nine -- one more than Buster's family.
It also meant keeping a fairly tight reign on the family, regular patrols and training the youngsters (especially his two young sons ) the importance of vigilance and being able to challenge and stand ground.
All of that training and teaching over the summer has started to pay off over the past couple of weeks.
Now, instead of immediately moving and vacating a spot when Buster and the troupe move in, Papa's family elects to walk only a few feet away and stand ground.
This inevitably leads to conflict and ire to Buster and attempts on both his and his grown goslings part to chase and intimidate Papa's family.
But, Papa now has strong protection in his younger sons and even the three non-related geese.
Such was the scene the other night at the Boat Lake.
When first arriving to the lake, both families were in the water about 20 to 30 yards apart and carefully observing each other.
Recognizing me, Buster, Bonnie and the "kids" immediately swam to the rock at the Rambles to demand any treats I had.
But, Papa was having none of that.
As Papa has always been the first goose to greet me since 2010 when raising his family at Turtle Pond, he immediately got his family in tow and began to swim towards the rock.
Within minutes, Papa and his two sons were on the rock as well as two of the three unrelated geese. (Yes, #9 goose had apparently returned when needed.)
Mama goose and her two (presumed) daughters remained cautiously in the water swimming along the outskirts of the rock (with the third goose of the unrelated family).
Infuriated, Buster, followed by two of his teenage sons, immediately charged at Papa's clan, pulling out some wads of down in the process.
But, Papa and clan were not to be denied.
Though a little battered in the process, they refused to leave the rock and rather, stood their ground.
This kind of "back and forth" went on for some time with neither family backing down or leaving the rock.
Eventually, Mama and the other girls decided to embark on the rock.
But, poor Mama wasn't on the rock more than a couple of minutes, when Buster made a bee line straight for her.
Much to my great relief and surprise, Mama was able to spread her droopy wings and fly from the rock into the water!
But, Mama too, despite her age and weaker constitution was more determined than ever not to let a "bullying" gander get to her or her family. (Perhaps there were some non-verbal communications between her and Papa who still remained steadfast on the rock?)
Rather than swimming away, Mama again circled the rock and waited patiently for the right opportunity to once again bravely embark.
Eventually Mama did climb the rock along a side and made her way over to Papa and the rest of his family on the far side of the rock. This time without being attacked by Buster.
It was utterly fascinating and intriguing watching this back and forth power brokering between the two families and especially the two leaders.
I am guessing that this sudden "standing of ground" exhibited by Papa and his clan over the past couple of weeks is message to Buster that as soon as he, the wife and kids are able to fly, it will be time for them to leave the Boat Lake and return to their own territory at Harlem Meer.
It seems a line has been drawn in the sand (or, in this case, on the rock).
Despite his age and lame leg, Papa is still the undisputed and benevolent leader of geese at the Boat Lake. It was just a challenge this summer to actually prove that.
When I finally left the Boat Lake the other night, matters were very much the same as when I arrived.
Only this time, instead of being about 20 or 30 yards away from each other on the water, the two goose families were mere feet from each other on the rock.
All was relatively peaceful with both camps keeping quietly to their own sides.
From what I understand the same is true of the present-day Hatfields and McCoy families several generations later.
They may never really be "friends," but peaceful co-existence can apparently be worked out.
That only we could say the same about humans' willingness to peacefully co-exist with the geese. -- PCA
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