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After losing their eggs last week at Harlem Meer, it appears Napoleon and Josephine are not planning to re-nest as both geese were observed yesterday at the Boat lake in Central Park.
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If true, that is (bittersweet) good news for a couple of reasons:
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First, since it has been policy in Central Park for a number of years to "addle" goose eggs, any further eggs laid by Josie would not be allowed to hatch. She and her mate would once again go through the rigors of nesting only to realize failure and grief as they've experienced in the past three years.
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Secondly, I am personally happy the mated pair left Harlem Meer for the Boat Lake for it means I no longer feel reason to check out the Meer. Such has become a depressing experience over the past year for remembering what the Meer used to be and comparing that to what it is now.
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Only a few years ago, Harlem Meer was replete with all kinds of water birds, including scores of Canada geese, mallards, shovelers and even two mute swans.
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As of this past Sunday, there were only three mallards on the entire lake.
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Unfortunately, that is virtually how all the lakes and ponds at Central Park currently are. -- Devoid of all, but a few scattered water birds.
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The last Central Park swan was harassed out of Harlem Meer exactly two years ago and the remaining water birds are subjected to regular "Geese Police" harassment and in the case of Canada geese, egg destruction.
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Perhaps it should come as no surprise that in a solicitation letter received yesterday from Douglas Blonsky, President and CEO of Central Park Conservancy, there is no mention whatsoever of wildlife or birds in CP.
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I am however promised, that if making a donation of $1,000 or more, I would be "entitled to great Conservator benefits" such as, "Invitations to behind-the-scenes tours, lectures and receptions with Park professionals....an invitation to the Annual Conservatory Garden Cocktail Party and Walking Tour.....an invitation to the new New York Philharmonic with preferred seating....a seat at the New York City Marathon Breakfast table and so much more." (Emphasis supplied.)
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The letter then goes on to assure that, "your investment today will be rewarded every time you walk through the Park for years to come."
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I am thinking that the $300.00 "investment" I made a few years ago to the Central Park Conservancy was "rewarded" by the hiring of Geese Police and the seemingly tireless efforts to clear nearly all of the wildlife out of the park. A letter personally written to Douglas Blonsky several years ago on these matters wasn't even answered.
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In the form letter received yesterday, I would not even know Mr. Blonsky was talking about a park as much as some kind of entertainment or sports center.
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Well, surprise surprise: I can do without a seat at the NYC Marathon Breakfast Table, guided tours and "preferred seating" at concerts.
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What I can't and don't want to do without is seeing and enjoying the wildlife of Central Park which is slowly, but inexorably disappearing.
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How surprising and sad was it to see a photo posted on Twitter yesterday of at least 9 swans swimming in what appears the Boat Lake of Central Park. But the photo was taken more than a century ago. There haven't been swans at the CP Boat Lake in more than a decade. (And the DEC wants to eliminate all wild mute swans in the entire state of New York by the next decade.)
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Ah, a seat at the Marathon Breakfast table! -- While I have to be cautious about publicly denoting the locations of the few pairs of currently nesting geese in Central Park.
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Thankfully, Napoleon and Josephine are no longer among them.
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I guess the beleaguered geese finally figured out that the place that served as their home and birth place was not putting out the welcome mat for future goose offspring.
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But, there'll always be plenty of red carpets for celebrity events, marathons and other "rewards" -- just as long as they don't quack, honk, crawl, swim or fly. -- PCA.
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Patty, do you know what happened to the geese on the north side? I've been seeing her nesting past couple of weeks but today I didnt see her :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for observing and asking, Nicole.
ReplyDeleteThere have in fact been two nesting goose pairs at the Reservoir and the eggs of both pairs mysteriously vanished over the weekend.
As you know, the same happened with Napoleon and Josephine who nested on the little island at Harlem Meer a couple of weeks ago.
I tried to speculate the loss of all the eggs at the Meer to a rain storm that had occurred the previous day. But I am sure those eggs were taken now.
But, there has been no rain to explain the sudden Reservoir egg losses of both nesting geese.
For sure,the Conservancy will blame raccoons for "stealing eggs." But there are no raccoons on island at Harlem Meer and as previously noted, geese are more than capable of defending nests from roaving raccoons as they have done many times. In fact, its the only time ganders return to the nest -- to defend against raccoons.
Though we don't have proof, I strongly suspect that the eggs were taken and destroyed by the powers that be at Central Park. (CP Conservancy, Geese Police and DEC.)
In the past, they have oiled eggs to prevent hatching. But, last year, five eggs hatched anyway. (Three at Reservoir and two at Boat Lake.) Of course the three goslings hatched at Reservoir last year all perished within a month of hatching for not developing normally. That was likely due to egg oiling that had not worked sufficiently to suffocate them while in eggs, but did deprive them of oxygen.
John and Mary left the Reservoir yesterday, but the nesting geese on East Side were still there. Greta appeared confused and distraught standing over her now empty nest, where only days ago, there were five beautiful eggs.
Please call the Conservancy tomorrow to inquire about the vanishing eggs. I guarantee they will blame these incidents on raccoons. But try to imagine a raccoon overpowering four fiercely defending geese and running off with 5 large goose eggs in one case and 6 in another. No way in hell that happened.
Thanks for all the info. I was hoping the eggs would be left alone. It was a sad sight to see her nesting area empty with just feathers and i also saw alot of feathers in the water nearby.
ReplyDeleteI will call them. I have contacted them in the past about other animals. I feel their practices regarding animals in the park are uncaring and cruel.
Hi Nicole,
ReplyDeleteJohn and Mary have returned to their old haunts at the west side of the Reservoir. It is not clear if she will try to renest, but I am guessing not. Interesting that the mallards who were hanging around their nest followed them to west side. Mallards apparently feel secure around geese.
I was shocked to discover yesterday that Greta is again sitting on at least two eggs. Nest appeared completely empty and stripped the day before. Not sure what to make of this. Some geese however,renest when losing eggs and others do not.
Egg losses also in another location at Central Park over past two days. Of the known four nesting pairs of geese in CP this year, all have experienced disappearance and loss of eggs, but two appear to have laid more.
Nicole, please read my new blog entry from today which deals with the mystery of all the vanishing goose eggs in CP. If you call the Conservancy, please ask to see permit for their endless harassment of geese (including migratory) and destruction of their eggs as these actions appear in violation of Migratory Bird Act Treaty of 1918. Thanks. Canada geese are supposed to be a protected bird.
ReplyDeleteHi Patty, Thanks for all the information again..its just too much of a coincidence that all the eggs would be gone. I did speak with someone at the conservancy who blamed it on the raccoons. I don't believe it of course.
ReplyDeleteI am writing a letter to them as well.
I hope Greta will be ok. This is very upsetting and sad. Would any animal groups get involved with this?
Thanks, Nicole for questioning the Conservancy. As predicted, they blamed staggering egg losses over the course of the last few years on raccoons. That has, in fact, been their policy for a long time. They never admit to oiling and destroying eggs. That information was personally obtained two years ago directly from a Geese Police employee who works at CP. Park goers have also reported seeing Geese Police oiling eggs at Turtle Pond.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, we have two remaining and nesting goose pairs in CP, one of whom has already experienced egg loss. But the other one we are not quite sure about. (More about that in blog.)
Geese are very clever birds who bravely respond to challenge and always bring surprise.
Nevertheless, neither myself nor a fellow goose observer and friend expect any goslings to hatch this year. :(
very upsetting and sad! :(
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