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Question today on a Facebook NYC Birding site:
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"What was the first bird you saw on the New Year?"
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My answer:
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"Lots of Canada geese at the Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park last night (and mallards and American coots). The geese were clearly unnerved with visible and audible fireworks occurring some distance away. Much distressed honking, but most of the geese stayed anyway. Following the fireworks, the "discussion" continued among the geese, though at lower pitch: "What WAS that? Hunters, human war, celestial event? Will it come again?" But, alas, it seems many of the geese had been through it all before and prevailed in response to simply wait out the hoopla, regardless of the fright. I believe that is called, "adaptation." And if nothing else, Canada geese are highly adaptable -- to virtually anything, including New Year's fireworks. Truly brave creatures -- which is one of the reasons they are so cherished and revered by some of us."
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Yes, as predicted, many geese have newly arrived to the Central Park Reservoir over the past few days as upstate (or Long Island) lakes and ponds freeze over. These are the geese who normally "winter" at the Reservoir until about mid February when temperatures show the first signs of warming and the geese return to familiar haunts.
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Unlike last New Year however, when many of the geese took off from the Reservoir with the first explosions of fireworks, most of the geese last night, elected to stay.
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That suggests that most of the geese were returnees and actually remembered, that despite the terrifying sights and sounds booming in the skies above them, there was no actual, physical "threat."
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But, decision to "wait out the hoopla" did not appear to come easily to the geese or without heated debate and/or disagreement.
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The panicked and distressed honking coming from the water within the Reservoir was actually far louder than the fireworks exploding in the distance.
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One could imagine the goose dialogues as they were occurring:
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"Quick, quick, we gotta get outta here! Bombs and gunshots breaking in the skies!"
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"No! No! Don't panic! It will pass. No threat to us! We just need to gather towards the north end of the water. Come, come! Let's keep together. NO NEED to panic!"
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This back and forth banter among leaders of different gaggles continued throughout the entire half hour of the fireworks.
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And while a few small families of geese actually did take off from the water, most of the geese cautiously gathered to the far north east corner of the Reservoir and waited out -- albeit, nervously -- the event.
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When finally the fireworks ended, the discussions (surprisingly) continued, though (as noted), at far lower and calmer pitch.
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(On this note, it is fascinating to realize the variety, tone and pitch of geese's actual and numerous vocalizations, some sounding loud and sharp like barking dogs, some sounding like excited children and some sounding low and long like mooing cows and some even being short and curt like clucking chickens.)
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It's guessed that at that point, the geese were simply trying to figure out what had just happened and if it would occur again.
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"What do you think that was, Joe? Storm? But, there was no change in wind, direction or temperature. Shooting stars? But, it seemed so much closer. Some new human harassment trick? But, it never approached us."
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Its unlikely that the geese actually figured out a human celebratory event.
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But, what most of them apparently did figure out eventually, is that the "threat" was actually no threat at all despite scary appearances and sounds.
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That is evidenced by the fact that most of the geese ultimately elected to stay and even the few who temporarily moved, most likely returned later.
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I call that courage in the sense of facing one's fears.
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But, then, I am a lover of Canada geese and it was they -- not fireworks -- who were the real reason for my journey to Central Park on New Year's Eve. -- PCA
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