On Cue, The Geese Arrive to Greet! (The Geesies Never Forget)

On cue, the geese arrive and come to greet!

A lead gander of the troupe.

Children stop to wave "hello!"

A beautiful goose girl poses for photo.

And another handsome gander in warm greeting.

Since the death of Cago more than two months ago from Harlem Meer, there has been nary a goose there.

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Those few geese who have ventured in from time to time have vanished almost as soon as arrival.

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It is not known if the quick departures were due to harassment actions of Geese Police or if the geese were migratory and simply used the Meer as brief resting point on their long journeys south.

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If the transitory geese were migratory, then it was highly unusual for them to stop at Harlem Meer as the Jackie Onassis Reservoir seems to be the designated stop and rest point in Central Park for easily more than 1,000 geese who have come and gone from there over the past two months.

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Its been an exciting experience watching flocks of migratory Canada geese take off from the Reservoir nearly every night (usually an hour after sunset) like planes taking off from a runway.

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Their organization, their precision, their excited, celebratory "honks" when finally taking off and their quick formation of the perfect "V's when airborne are truly magnificent. 

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But, its a sight that's been missing from Harlem Meer.

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It seems that migratory Canada geese -- like airliners -- have very precise and designated flight paths.

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Over the two months of observing them, I saw very little variation of goose flight paths out of Central Park, though there was much variation in flock size with some containing as few as 5 or 6 geese and some as many as 25 to 30.  (The usual number of a flying skein was around 15.)

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But, imagine the surprise last night when going to Central Park and seeing no migratory geese at all at the Reservoir, but suddenly encountering new arrivals at Harlem Meer!

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THE GEESE ARE HERE!!!!!  (Eleven of them!)

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These were not, however, migratory geese, but old friends who obviously remembered me. 

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They sauntered right up in cheerful and confident greeting.  

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Everyone was excited to see the geese.   Young kids coming from the nearby ice skating rink stopped to wave at and greet the geese.   Young people took photos with cell phones.

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But, no one was more excited to see old familiar goose friends than I.

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Almost on cue they had arrived -- as they have done in past years.

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"My geesies" never forget.

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You see, today is my birthday. :)  -- PCA

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