They Only Abandon Their Eggs When Dying -- In Memory of Camille

Camille with newly layed eggs last week.

The eggs that will now never hatch.

Camille (top) and Brad shortly after she abandoned eggs.

Last photo of Camille while alive. The next day, she was dead.

It is a chilly, raw, blustery and rainy day in NYC.

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Perfect setting for what there is to report.

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Camille died yesterday.

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Camille is the goose who had returned to Reservoir with her gander to nest (One of two nesting pairs.)   She laid six eggs which were discovered last week -- and ultimately doomed.

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Two days ago, Camillle abandoned the nest.

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I was concerned about this because nesting Canada geese rarely, if ever abandon their eggs.  I was also concerned because Camille appeared listless and weak in water, bobbing up and down and drifting with currents.

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I tried to console myself with the knowledge that such behavior (resting, drifting with tides) is commonly observed in migratory geese -- though in their case, it is due to exhaustion from flying thousands of miles and need for rest.

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I consulted with a rehabber and someone knowledgeable on geese who advised to watch Camille over next couple of days. Since the goose did not have obvious injury or show visible cause for emergency rescue, it was hoped she would bounce back. Perhaps Camille was just depressed from having to abandon eggs for whatever unknown reason.

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But, I had a very "bad feeling" about this -- as I did with Brad at Harlem Meer shortly before he died, almost two years ago.

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And yet, with Camille in an inaccessible place at the Reservoir, there was no way for a lay person to get to her for rescue.

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From past experience, I also know Park Rangers don't have boats to rescue sick/injured birds on water.  --  It seems only those whose job it is to harass or destroy geese and their eggs have boats.

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And so it was a personal quandary.

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When leaving for the Jackie Onassis Reservoir yesterday on an overcast and dank day, I anticipated seeing Camille again and hopeful she would be a bit better.  Perhaps a rest in the water might have done her body good and restored some of the energy lost in nesting?

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But, truth was, I was prepared for anything......

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I first saw Camille's gander, Brad, (so named after the Harlem Meer duck, several times a "widower" in years past) still patrolling the area around the nest and appearing somewhat lost and confused.

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But, I could not see Camille anywhere. 

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I then followed direction of currents, walking to the far north west portion of Reservoir,

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And there she was, lying belly up in the water, her head invisible and below the surface.

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Camille was dead.

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All I could think of then is the endless persecution, egg destruction and massacre these noble, valiant  birds have been subjected to in NYC over the past ten years and the irrational hatred directed towards them.

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Camille had survived most of that.

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She and her gander even survived this past brutal winter.

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After likely having their eggs addled and destroyed over past few years in Central Park, Camille and Brad bravely returned to try still once again. 

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Only in the process this time, she died.

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My heart is breaking.

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Breaking for all the torment, harassment, vilification, slaughter and sheer ignorance directed towards and heaped upon these birds non-stop. Breaking for all the cold, callous indifference -- like the day itself today. 

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Breaking that in her final, hopeful and courageous effort, Camille could only know loss once again.  Loss of not just her eggs, this time, but her own precious and jealously guarded life.

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Her gander now wanders the confines of the Reservoir, calling out and looking lost and alone -- the sight of a lone gander patrolling stormy waters this time, not reflection of potential new life, but rather loss of it.

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The rain falls, trying to cleanse. And the winds whisk, trying to push away the evidence.

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But, still the tattered remains lay, silently, but inexorably, brushing against the jagged rocks.

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Testimony to our hate, destruction, indifference and intolerance towards much of natural wildlife.  

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I pray that somewhere, Camille is able to fly again.  To a place of the welcome, warmth, peace and love that she was so denied in this life.

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And I pray that Camille is somehow united with all the babies she so tried to bring into this intolerant world -- even in her fading moments -- but who, in the end, were never to be born.

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I learned something valuable this week.  Something now burned into unpleasant memory forever.

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I learned Canada geese only abandon their eggs and nest when dying. -- PCA



                                             


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What Do Nesting Geese Think About?

Mary checking eggs and primping nest at Reservoir.

John, her gander chasing off an intrusive mallard.

Mary enjoying the sun.

John on sentry duty.

What does a Canada goose think about when sitting 28 days on her eggs and nest?

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I have often wondered about this.

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As mere mortal human accustomed to all kinds of freedom of movement, tech niceties and diversions in life, I imagined that being confined to one spot for an entire month might represent the epitome of both boredom and sense of imprisonment.

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But, now I am not so sure.

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One of the goose pairs who nested at the Central Park Reservoir last year has returned and "Mary" is once again sitting atop three eggs (so far) at the exact same place as last year. Her gander, "John" dutifully patrols the waters nearby virtually non-stop as he did last year.

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But, what do the geese think about during all this time?

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Are they lonely having to be (for the duration of nesting) mostly separated from their mate? 

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(Ganders usually stay some distance away from the nest so as not to call attention to them from potential predators.  At the same time, ganders are close enough to nest to make quick defense return if mate and eggs are actually threatened from, for example, raccoons.)

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Are the geese nervous not having the security and comfort of other flock members around?

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That is hard to say, though for sure, it falls upon the couple (who are temporarily living separately most of the time) to be on high alert constantly as they don't have warning signals of potential danger from other geese.

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But, mostly, I wondered if the nesting geese are bored? -- especially the mama goose confined nearly 24/7 to the nest.

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But, perhaps I need not have wondered about this so much.

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Yesterday, I watched Mary sitting on her nest for nearly a half hour.

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And she seemed anything but bored.

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On the contrary, she appeared to be highly interested and intrigued watching seagulls fly across the Reservoir and land on the water -- almost like a human watching a particularly engaging movie.   She barely took her eyes off the seagulls and other water birds (mostly, shovelers) flitting about the water.  

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Other times, Mary preened her feathers, changed positions on the nest and even took a quick nap under the sun, tucking her head back.

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Once in a while, John took a quick swim by to gaze and check on her.

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While I check in on John and Mary each day, there is also the nesting goose from Edmonton, Canada, who, after six years has become a kind of Internet "star."  The nesting process in on a live feed video camera, allowing visitors unobtrusive access any time of the day or night:

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Live: The Journal's goosecam is back

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The video voyeurism is fascinating as it pretty much replicates what I am observing in Central Park -- though the mama from Canada doesn't appear to have seagull "movies" to watch.

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But, certainly, she is alert to and intrigued by every sound and her head and eyes attuned to every sight.

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And of course, there are those special moments to simply sit back and catch some shut eye.

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Lord knows there will be few of those once the goslings actually hatch.

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As for the ganders, its seems "rest" is just not in their cards either before the eggs hatch or after.

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"Guard duty, patrol, being on the ready to immediately defend" and chasing off all would-be intruders or predators is both, their present and their future. 

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Perhaps the reality is that nesting geese, though it appears they have time to burn on their wings, don't actually have that much time to "think."

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Everything seems to be about alertness, patience and preparation -- as it probably should be for humans.   -- PCA

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Among the Geese, Love in Bloom

Romantic goose pair at Turtle Pond in Central Park yesterday.

Love in bloom.

Shortly after mating, the gander flaps wings in celebration while female splashes herself with water.

The last of the migratory Canada geese passed through Central Park more than two weeks ago.

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What remains now are those few "resident" geese who either plan to nest again or seek Central Park as safe place to go through the molting period in June/July when they lose their flight feathers.

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Continued goose harassment by Geese Police has resulted in only the most bold and adaptable geese remaining in Central Park.  -- those not deterred by chasing dogs, dominant paired geese and large volume of human activities.

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Currently, that appears to be less than a couple of dozen geese throughout the entire 839 acre park.

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Dominant "alpha" goose pairs (such as Napoleon and Josephine at Harlem Meer) have claimed territories at the Meer, the Boat Lake and the Jackie Onassis Reservoir.

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Yesterday, I noted the dominant goose pair at the Reservoir chasing off three geese who had stopped by and were peacefully gliding across the water.  The trio was unceremoniously given the "bums rush" and quickly had to depart.

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Fact is, we really don't need "Geese Police" when the geese themselves do an excellent job of limiting numbers allowed to share the watercourses throughout spring and summer. Rather, the endless human harassment seems just another way to squander money and celebrate our seeming intolerance for (and ignorance of) wildlife.

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Surprisingly, Napoleon and Josephine at Harlem Meer, do seem to be tolerating one other goose pair still remaining at the lake -- as long as the secondary pair keep only to the east side.  A peaceful truce and understanding seems to have evolved among the four geese over the past couple of weeks with each pair keeping to their designated sides of the lake.

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But, prepare as some geese might for nesting, the reality is that if Central Park follows the same path as last year, no eggs of Canada geese will be allowed to hatch this year either as all were addled (oiled) last year.  

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Personally, I don't look forward to seeing any geese actually nest in Central Park as it is heartbreaking to witness the couple's grief and mourning when their eggs fail to hatch.

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The geese go through so much when nesting.

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The gander has to stand guard of mate and nest for roughly 28 days with little rest. The goose loses up to 25% of her body weight when sitting on eggs with very little time to eat.

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Last year, when finally realizing their eggs were unviable, all geese actually "mourned" their losses for at least a couple of days, standing forlornly over the broken eggs (especially the females).

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Eventually, the geese moved on of course, because that is what nature compels them to do.

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But, I personally have little doubt that the losses of their offspring probably stay within the hearts of the geese for a long time.

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In short, it is beautiful and exciting to witness love in bloom among the geese during the glorious and life affirming spring.

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But, it is heartbreaking to witness their endless persecution and stress throughout the summer. 

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Perhaps modern human culture doesn't have much tolerance and respect for "love" these days -- unless it is love of self as witnessed by the obsessions with and endless Internet parades of "selfies."   -- PCA

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The Mad Men of USDA Wildlife Services and 5,638 Dead Geese

Canada goose. In the "make work," golden egg cross hairs of USDA Wildlife Services.

5,638.

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That is the number of Canada geese snuffed out in New York City since 2009 at a cost of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars. 

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http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=f30b9b8b6b96841f3dcf76c40&id=59f3b9b701&e=1e2bc66fdd

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But, what was it all for?

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According to the USDA Wildlife Services' own report, the number of airline strikes with Canada geese has remained virtually unchanged over the past five years despite the mass carnage and squandering of tax dollars.

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USDA NYC Roundups 2009-2014

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USDA WS attempts to justify the massacres by claiming parts of the geese are fed to hungry people.

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But, although a Canada goose typically weighs around 12 pounds, less than a pound of meat per bird was and is actually donated.

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And of this, WS writes:

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"The breast tissue of resident Canada geese was determined safe to eat.  The greatest risk identified from eating goose breast was from non-toxic steel shot being imbedded in breast tissue and someone biting down on shot which might damage a tooth."

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Well, what could be more delectable when eating than to chomp down on some steel shot and possibly breaking a tooth?

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Surely, the people must be lining up for this gourmet treat!

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Wildlife Services bases the so-called public desire for goose meat on some comments posted on a New York Times blog article following the gassing of 368 geese from Prospect Park in 2010.

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But, they conveniently overlooked hundreds of public comments (to the same site) condemning the goose slaughters in Prospect Park outright.  

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Talk about seeing only what one wants to and twisting that around to fit whatever cruel, pointless and "make work" agenda one is touting.

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One has to hand it to Martin Lowney and the rest of his cronies at Wildlife Services for PR "spin" that would rival any of that from AMC's fictional "Mad Men."

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Over the years, they have successfully manipulated the public and the press to believe that Canada geese were the menace of the skies and pollutants of the waters and that the only way to perennial bliss and "airline safety" was to embark on a mass killing campaign of these otherwise peaceful and majestic birds.

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But, the pathetic reality is that even when a airliner goes down in the water (due to non-bird issues) we cannot find it for all the other "debris" we have wantonly dumped in our oceans over the decades.

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Perhaps we can blame that on the geese, too?

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Yes, Martin Lowney and WS are the true masters of Mad Men spin.

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Who else could get away with dressing up mass wildlife massacres as "euthanasia" and "feeding the poor" with teeth crunching steel shot?   -- PCA

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