(Photos: 1-- Mama goose at the Boat Lake a few weeks ago. 2-- Annie, lone goose at Turtle Pond surrounded by new mallards last night.)
The main reason for writing a daily blog is to keep an accurate record of occurrences and goose counts as faded memories cannot be relied upon.
Sometimes, when strange and unexplainable things happen, one is compelled to look back in archives for possible clues and answers.
For the past week, I have been questioning and wondering about the three "loner" geese in Central Park.
Geese are not only flock birds, but they are extremely tight knit in terms of mates and families and they are normally highly organized.
What could possibly explain the sudden presence of not just one, but three "loner" geese in three different areas of Central Park? Put simply, it is not normal.
But, now add to the number of three loner geese in Central Park, a fourth.
And of all places, the Boat Lake!
Not noted in yesterday's blog entry is that on Thursday evening, (between Turtle Pond and Harlem Meer), I had briefly stopped at the Boat Lake to check on the Papa goose family.
But, I could not see any geese at all either in the water or on the island "home rock."
A little puzzled, but not worried, I figured that the 9 (or sometimes 10 geese) were probably moving further south on the lake during the particularly hot night. I stayed for a few minutes and then headed to Harlem Meer.
Last night, after checking in on Annie, the loner goose at Turtle Pond (who was adjusting well staying with the mallards), I again went to the Boat Lake fully expecting to see Papa, Mama and at least most of their gaggle.
But, once again there was an eerie silence on the mirror-like, still lake.
All I could make out was a handful of mallards and one "loner" goose on the water!
More than puzzled, this time I walked around the entire Boat Lake.
Papa, Mama, Ruffian and at least 6 of the geese who stayed with them through the molt were gone!
While I expected Mama and Papa's grown "kids" and visiting geese to shortly move on, I never anticipated that the parent geese would leave what had become their "territory" and home base over the past two years.
Not only was there no reason for Mama and Papa to leave, but there were doubts as to whether Mama (who is a very old goose) could even be capable of flight out of the Boat Lake.
More than concerned, as soon as arriving home, I called Liana, the other goose lover from the Boat Lake.
"They were all ten there on Wednesday night." Liana told me in her strained English. "But, when I go back Thursday and today, I only see ONE goose! And he honk and honk as if very stressed! He come to me, but not eat anything!"
"Well, he did come to me tonight with a few mallards and ate a few sunflower seeds. But, you're right, he seemed very stressed." I replied. "Its really odd that all but one goose would go. I never expected Mama and Papa to leave at all."
"What happened?" Liana asked, her voice breaking. "We care and watch over them all the spring and summer and now this!" Liana sounded on the verge of tears. "I see Mama fly a little, but she so old. I don't understand...." her voice trailing off.
I was not able to offer Liana much condolence or explanation as I did not understand either.
Four "loner" geese in Central Park and all of the regulars gone.
It wasn't making any sense and especially in light of the constant misinformation that "feeding geese causes them to stay."
(Over and over again through the years, I have noted that particular lie to not even be remotely true either for migratory or even "resident" geese. When the calendar and their biological clocks tell them to "go," the geese go.)
I told Liana that the geese were definitely not at Turtle Pond, the Reservoir or Harlem Meer as I had checked out all three watercourses.
Liana agreed to check out the South Pond this morning and get back to me. Neither of us had any idea where the now missing 17 geese watched over spring and summer had suddenly disappeared (Buster and family and now Papa's family.).
Baffled and curious, after speaking with Liana last night, I came online to check out blog entries from last year around this time.
Sure enough, memory had faded and distorted some facts.
About the same period last year, Mama and Papa had left the Boat Lake with the other 7 regular geese they had gone through the molt with. A few days later, I had noted a "loner" goose at the Reservoir. A "tenth" goose who was sometimes with Papa's family and sometimes not, I speculated.
So, were the geese just following their natural pattern or was something else going on?
I could not be sure.
This morning, Liana called to tell me she had gone to the South Pond (near 60th Street) and did not see any geese at all there. Just a few ducks.
She then returned to the Boat Lake -- again only to find the one loner goose there.
That leaves only one other watercourse in Central Park we haven't checked out. The pond on the Upper West Side.
But, it is highly unlikely the geese are there as it has never been a regular hangout for them.
I tried to assure Liana that it is natural for geese to move around this time of year and that in fact, Papa's family had left the Boat Lake in early August of last year.
"Apparently all that honking and low flying over the past week were test runs for an actual move," I told Liana.
"Perhaps the other (tenth) goose wasn't around when they actually left. He was sometimes with them and sometimes not."
But, still the questions remained:
Did the geese decide to move on their own natural accord?
Or, were they in fact, harassed out of Central Park?
For possible answers, I again went back to the archives of my blog and looked through entries, this time from September of last year.
And I found this from September 10, 2011:
A conversation with Carolyn Greenleaf of Central Park Conservancy who told me then that harassment had been used on the geese since they had completed molting in early August of last year.
It did not matter how low the actual number of resident geese. Greenleaf informed me that Central Park wanted the resident geese "out before migratory geese arrived."
Of course this explanation made zero sense as migratory geese don't even begin to arrive to Central Park until November or usually December. Why would they harass a few resident geese in August?
The conversation was contentious then and it would be the same way now.
Only when trying to get answers to the same question of harassment this past week, I was given two different responses from Central Park officials. One told me geese were being harassed because they "are a health threat" (complete nonsense) and the other told me they were not, "because their numbers are too low."
But, the gentleman who told me the latter, also said he would check to be sure and get back to me.
But, he never did.
Presumably because he knew I would not like the answer.
As cruel, bizarre and completely senseless as it is to "harass" less than 30 geese in an 874 acre park, I have to believe that is exactly what has been happening despite the irrational and bogus "explanations" for it.
All the history and evidence seems to point in that direction as incredible as it is to actually believe.
And yes, this could also well explain the now 4 "loner" geese in Central Park.
Having personally witnessed harassment in Central Park in December of 2010, the geese do not have time to "discuss" (honk) and organize before flying Rather, they have to leave in a panicked hurry. For any geese who might have temporarily wandered off from the flock or are late in reaction, they are simply left behind and/or become separated -- "loner geese."
The whole thing is incredibly ugly -- not only for the impact it has on goose family structures, but also the effects on other waterfowl, most of whom are chased out with the geese.
Its interesting to note that last night there were about 10 new mallards at Turtle Pond and fewer ducks at the Boat Lake.
I am not eager to share these speculations (or really, conclusions) with Liana as I know this kind of information will greatly upset her.
But, there is little doubt after scouting through blog entries from last year (the whole point of which is keeping records and quoting conversations).
The very image of poor old "Mama goose" being harassed out of Central Park is truly stomach turning and grotesque.
Considering Mama's age and frailty, it would not be surprising to find one of these days, among the "loner" geese at Central Park, one very old goose with missing webbing on her foot, who, this time, could not escape the reckless and insane goose harassment with the rest of her family.
Shame on Central Park, "Geese Police" and all those who defend this senseless barbarity if this is in fact what has been done.
Again. -- PCA
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