(Photos: 1-- Wiggly, top duck at Harlem Mere.. 2 -- "Frolicking" goose at Boat Lake yesterday. 3-- "Jack and Jill" -- Khaki Campbell (domestic) ducks at Boat Lake yesterday.)
Before the Storm -- Alarm Sounding
Central Park closed yesterday at 5 PM due to the major storm that is projected to hit NYC today. High winds are expected to knock down trees and therefore the park could become dangerous even before the rain actually arrives.
The birds at Harlem Mere seemed to sense something in the air, even though the past few nights have been more representative of the "calm before the storm."
Temperatures have been mild with barely a breeze to stir the water.
Nevertheless, the migratory geese left Harlem Mere a couple of nights ago, along with a number of mallards.
Friday night, Wiggly (one of the two domestic ducks at the Mere) swam around in the water constantly honking. At first, I thought the loud shrieking was due to her gal pal, Honker having wandered away. But, even when Honker answered her calls and returned to her side from across the lake, Wiggly continued "alarm" honking and quacking incessantly.
It was very strange as to be almost eerie.
Since the death of her protege, Brad, last month, Wiggly has appeared to become the "top duck" at Harlem Mere in terms of status. She has taken on many of the vigilance and dominace behaviors and postures of her former mentor and companion.
I am guessing the kind of "hyper-alertness" and alarm-sounding behavior displayed Friday night by Wiggly is example of her willingness to accept top reign at Harlem Mere -- along with the responsibility that goes along with it.
I am reasonably confident that both Wiggly and Honker will survive the "super storm" that hurricane Sandy is predicted to be. I am hoping that "Little Brad" (the injured and recovering mallard) will be smart enough to hang with and follow the lead of the two now formidable and (thanks to the original Brad) well schooled and educated ducks.
So far, Little Brad has been doing exactly that and I trust he will continue so during the actual storm.
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Frolicking Geese -- Play Hard while the Going is Good?
Yesterday morning (Saturday) I went to the Boat Lake to check on the waterfowl situation there.
Unlike Harlem Mere (and specifically, Wiggly) the night before, none of the ducks or geese at the Boat Lake seemed in any way perturbed or alarmed. On the contrary, they appeared to simply enjoy to the hilt, a peaceful October morning on the still and quiet water.
There were several families of Canada geese at the Boat Lake.
I don't think I have ever seen geese quite so frolicking and playful as the 20 or so geese observed yesterday.
Indeed, a number of them appeared like acrobats in a circus! The geese performed somersaults in the water, literally going upside down, turning on their sides and practically doing back flips. Others dunked and dived in the water, while still others were content to flap their wings and busily preen their feathers.
Was all of this almost frenetic activity an attempt to have fun and party hard while the going was good?
Perhaps.
Because for sure, once the storm actually starts with up to 80 MPH wind gusts and driving rains, all the birds will have to hunker down, protect themselves and potentially even go a day or two without food.
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"Proficient Egg Layers?"
In apparent anticipation of heavy rains and potential flooding, Central Park appears to have recently drained and lowered the levels of its manmade lakes and other watercourses.
While not especially noticeable at the fairly large Reservoir and Boat Lake, it was almost shocking to observe the water level at Harlem Mere lowered by almost two feet these past few days.
This makes it difficult for the domestic (flightless) ducks, Wiggly and Honker to easily hop up on embankments and grass, though the two are pretty creative in figuring other means.
Personally, I will be happy when the storm passes and water levels are restored back to normal. The domestic water birds especially have enough challenges just bracing for and surviving the actual storm, as well as generally learning to live in the wild.
Speaking of "domestic ducks," I finally saw yesterday the two Khaki Campbell ducks who, according to witnesses were left at the Boat Lake in August, (supposedly to save them from slaughter). I have taken the liberty of naming the romantic pair, "Jack and Jill" after the popular nursery rhyme.
(Khaki Campbell is also the seeming breed of both Wiggly and Honker at Harlem Mere who presumably were rescued from some waterfowl slaughtering plant and released to Central Park.)
Unlike Wiggly and Honker who are both girls, Jack and Jill at the Boat Lake are obviously a boy and girl (the males have a darker head and more striking color.)
The male and female Campbells at the Boat Lake appear to be inseparable and devoted to each other. Wiggly and Honker, by contrast are not quite so attached at the hip and though mostly together have greater tendency to wander.
One wonders in noting a number of domestic ducks released to Central Park (and other parks) over the years, why they don't successfully breed and we end up with entire flocks of domestic ducks?
I am not sure of the answer to that, but suspect that although these domestic ducks appear more than capable of surviving in the wild, they apparently do not know how to nest in the outdoors or protect their eggs from predation.
This past spring for example, Wiggly appeared to have dropped an egg in the grass at Harlem Mere. At the time, she, Piggly and Brad walked around the egg, but Wiggly did not sit on it nor did she lay the egg in a safe and protected location. She simply appeared confused and didn't know what to do.
So, while their wild instincts may kick in when forced to survive in the outside world, I don't believe the domestic ducks abandoned to city parks have quite figured out the art of laying and protecting their eggs yet, much less mastering the challenges of raising young in the outdoors.
If and when that ever happens we could one day be dealing with the "invasive species" in city parks known as Khaki Campbell ducks.
From the information available on Khaki Campbell ducks, they are supposed to be very "proficient egg layers."
Hm, stay tuned..... --- PCA
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