Moving and Not Moving On -- The Geese Decide

Geese return to Harlem Meer for Memorial Day weekend. What's a party without the patriotic geese?

"Don't call me a Canada goose. I am an American!"

But, Bozi chose to stay and search.....

Bozi with a mallard yesterday at Reservoir.

 A sense of deja vu over the holiday weekend. Especially at Harlem Meer in Central Park.

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Along with the throngs of families turning out for picnics and Memorial Day fun, there were close to 20 geese who had suddenly shown up! -- Apparently, to be part of the celebration.

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So similar in fact, was the scene to past years, that rather than re-write it all over again under a different date, it is easier to simply post an entry link from Memorial Day, 2011 entitled,"They're Back!"   Virtually everything was exactly the same this year.

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  http://talesamptailsofnewyork.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

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I am speculating (by their sociability and comfort with people), it is the same flock of geese who periodically stop and stay briefly at the Meer -- as well as they apparently possess a calendar and mark off important human holidays -- especially the patriotic ones.

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How else could they possibly know that Memorial Day tends to vary a bit from year to year?

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And how could the geese know that along with people and picnics, comes treats and free handouts for them?  They indeed, must have fantastic memories.

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Whatever the mechanism for information and dates, the geese get it right every year.

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And it was so nice to see, once again, the wide smiles on children and adults either feeding geese or taking their photos.    
"Canada geese?" they question.   "Nah, these are our American geese and they show up for every patriotic holiday!"

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But, not all geese were on the move this holiday.

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John and Mary apparently decided over the weekend that things were too boring at the nearly goose-empty Reservoir and like other geese, presumably took off for holiday celebrations and (pre-molt) goose gatherings elsewhere.

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But, Bozi did not go with them.

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This is obviously disappointing as it briefly appeared that the recently widowed gander was being accepted as a "tag along" goose to the mated goose pair.

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Bozi could have gone with John and Mary, but for whatever reason, chose not to.

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Once again, this is appearing too eerily similar to the events surrounding the "loner" goose, Cago last summer at Harlem Meer.

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Though given scant opportunities to join with other geese, some loners choose not to and instead, remain in search and grief alone.

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Bozi still patrols the Reservoir each day, at times, calling out and other times, returning to the former nesting site of himself and his lost mate, Floozie.

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I sometimes wonder if Bozi actually realizes his partner is dead?

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Recalling back to a few weeks ago, Bozi had remained steadfastly close to the nest area when Floozie took ill and slowly drifted away on the water.

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The pair had nested on the east side of the Reservoir, but in death, Floozie's body had been pushed by currents to the far west side.

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I don't believe Bozi actually saw her then and might not fully realize now what happened.

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Does he think Floozie temporarily took off somewhere and will eventually return to him?

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Or, is Bozi simply still in grief and loss?

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Its impossible to say for sure.

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What is known is that a loner goose does not survive over the long haul.

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At some point, loners have to "move on" and make effort to at minimum, assimilate into another goose flock and hopefully one day, find another mate.

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But, to this point, Bozi is making no effort to seek out other geese and indeed, did not even leave with the two who had reservedly accepted his presence.

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Moreover, it is not known yet, if the flock of a dozen or so geese who had molted at the Reservoir over the past few years will return again this year.

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Hopefully, they do, but nothing is guaranteed.  If these geese do return, that has to happen within the next two weeks as most geese begin to lose their flight feathers in mid June.

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But, even if the geese return, will Bozi try to assimilate himself into their flock?

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I think that will only happen if and when Bozi finally realizes Floozie is never coming back.

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For now, he is steadfastly searching and waiting.

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All in all, interesting turns of events over the past few days as geese begin to gather and prepare for the upcoming flightless molting period (mid June to early July) while other geese are apparently not quite over their losses from winter or spring.

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Moving and not moving on.

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While exciting to witness the return of geese to Harlem Meer over this holiday weekend, I have to hope that some of them are the flock that yearly molts at the Reservoir and that the Meer was just a brief celebratory and stopover spot.

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Its a bit heart wrenching to see Bozi all alone each evening, seemingly lost and drifting on the water.

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And yet, no matter how far away or lost in memory and grief, Bozi always takes the time to come to me and say in his special goose way, "Don't worry. I am OK. I will know and choose, when and if it's time to move on."   --  PCA

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