A short hiatus

Taking a short hiatus from Park watching while dealing with some health issues. Be back so.on

Prospect Park Wildlife Management Advisory Committee Canada Goose Management Pla

So, here are the recommendations that were made at the Nov. 17 meeting. Thanks to FIDO for providing this. as well as their tag line at the end, which I love.

Prospect Park Wildlife Management Advisory Committee Canada Goose Management Plan

Brooklynites care so passionately about Prospect Park and its natural environment and many were truly disturbed by the USDA’s actions to cull approximately 400 Canada geese in Prospect Park in the summer of 2010. In response, Prospect Park formed a Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (the Committee), consisting of professionals involved with animal welfare, education, science and urban park management. The Committee was tasked with an initial goal to recommend a Canada Goose Management Plan for Prospect Park that is scientifically sound, humane, practical, and transparent to the community.

This plan would help maintain the goose population at acceptable levels to facilitate cleaner shorelines and water, as well as support a diverse array of waterfowl within Prospect Park’s 585 acres. This management policy could serve as an example to others for the control of the Canada Goose population. It is understood, however, that the Mayor and the City of New York have the authority to give the USDA permission to employ Canada Geese mitigation measures as they see necessary.

Management Actions The Committee reviewed a wide variety of potential management actions to control Canada geese in Prospect Park. Only actions selected by the Committee as appropriate for use in Prospect Park are included below. The criteria used to evaluate the various management actions were, scientific merit, humane practice, and practicality for the Park to undertake.

1. Designation of Prospect Park as a “no-feed” zone in city statutes and literature Geese will linger in large numbers where they are being fed regularly. Feeding geese contributes to overpopulation both in Prospect Park Lake and in the entire region. Additionally, many of the things humans feed geese, especially bread, are actually harmful to them and the lake environment. The Park will work with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to get the Park designated as a “no-feed zone”. This designation will require a significant amount of public education, enforcement and outreach to change behavior.

{My comment: enforcement? Does this mean they'll arrest children feeding the waterfowl, and continue to ignore the illegal fishing, dumping, and trashing of the park?}


2. Egg oiling This method involves going to nesting sites early in the nesting season and rendering the eggs unviable by coating them with oil. All necessary DEC permits would be obtained and Humane Society guidelines and training would be followed to ensure eggs were in the early stages of development. This practice could significantly reduce the number of goslings produced in the Park annually.

{My comment: This might take money, so it will never happen}


3. Border Collie Patrol This proposal involves utilizing trained dogs and professional trainers, mostly on board a boat, to discourage geese from remaining in the Park after breeding season and before they molt. This method has been used successfully in other urban park areas. The timing and context of this action are both very important. It must take place in May and June, and it must follow a successful egg addling season since geese with young are less likely to leave the breeding grounds. This will depend on the cost and equipment availability.

[Again, takes money, won't happen. I love that this Committee totally denied that this option was in the works a week ago.}

4. Habitat Modification Geese prefer large swaths of grass and open areas with access to the shoreline. Shrubs or tall grasses impede vision and physical passage to and from water, and can potentially hide predators. Geese will tend to avoid areas planted in this manner. As Prospect Park continues to restore its waterways, care will be taken to try to reduce habitat for Canada Geese while enhancing habitat for other relatively rare species of migratory waterbird such as Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps). The Park’s desire to enhance and protect our natural systems is a top priority.

{sounds good, takes money}

5. Research Accurate population numbers for Canada Geese in Prospect Park are currently unavailable. The Park, with help from some members of the committee, aims to begin a more comprehensive population assessment in the Park. Things to look at include “migrant” versus “resident” populations, seasonal fluctuations, and breeding birds. The Committee also hope to gain better knowledge of the impact of large goose populations on water quality and on quality of habitat for other aquatic organisms. Finally, the Committee would want to be able to assess the effectiveness of our various goose management actions by ongoing monitoring.

[My comment: This takes someone to pay attention to what's going on in the Prospect Park Lake. I'm doing my best, and so are a number of other watchers, but the Parks Dept. and the Alliance seem to ignore all of us. "Migrant" vs. "resident?" There's no genetic difference. If they decide to stay, they're resident. If they move on, like a bunch did last week, they're migrants. }

Many of the management actions mentioned above can and should have an education and/or community involvement aspect. Prospect Park would like to work with various community members such as the Humane Society, the Brooklyn Bird Club, and Audubon as well as educational institutions to bring the community further into this process. A training program for this education will be developed and implemented by the Spring of 2011.


Prospect Park Wildlife Management Advisory Committee – Members


– Audubon New York – Brooklyn Bird Club – Brooklyn College – Geese Peace – Humane Society of the United States – Prospect Park and Prospect Park Alliance – Prospect Park Community Committee – New York City Audubon – New York City Council Member Brad Lander – New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, including the Department’s Urban Park Rangers and Natural Resources Group – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

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Be the person your dog thinks you are!

{My comment: Thank you FIDO. I'm trying!}

JFK, RIP

missed the meeting, what happened?

I'm very sorry I didn't get to the meeting last night, when the Prospect Park Wildlife Management plans were unveiled. Home nursing duties intervened. To my readers: were you there? What happened?

After two gray and rainy days, looks like the whole park is enjoying the sun. Swan family, all six of them, look fine, curled up and basking in the sun. I love the way they curl their necks around and tuck their beaks into the feathers on their backs. Looks so cozy and comfy. I didn't see Grandpa, the Lone Swan, but I'm sure he's happily elsewhere - maybe by the boathouse.

Two cygnets were on land, the rest on water. One hissed at JJ when she got close. JJ is sensible and backs off. I'm convinced that there's 1 male cygnet and 3 females, mainly because there's only one who hisses and makes a display when JJ comes near.

I realized today that I've only been blogging since March, and I've never looked so carefully at what's happening this time of year. Masses and masses of beautifully colored leaves on the ground. JJ loves to roll on her back in the leaves. She is so happy, I think I'd like to join her. The ginkgo trees seem to be holding tightest to their leaves, which are a bright, garish yellow. Almost blinding in the sunlight. I prefer the darker tones of reds, oranges, and a little brown in my foliage preferences. I wonder if the same genes that makes the ginkgo a survivor from the Permian era (270 million years ago) make the leaves hold on so tightly.

Husband is back home from hospital, but may not get to the park for a while. He's on IV antibiotics, and caries his pump around with him - in a tasteful black bag, of course. We don't want to risk a friendly dog getting caught in one of the tubes. Meanwhile, JJ is SO HAPPY to have him home, and stays close.

Achilles is saved!

Great news! Ed and Anne managed to capture the injured swan, whom they named Achilles because of the injury to the foot, and freed it from the triple-barbed fish hook. There pare pictures and a video at Brooklyn Paper. Here's the link
http://brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/47/web_cygnet2.html

And here's a link to the earlier Brooklyn paper post, telling about the injured swan. http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/47/web_cygnet.htmlI knew that Anne was taking away all the dangerous lines, etc., that they came across. I had no idea that she was making such fantastic jewelry out of it. I may have to follow in her footsteps and start my own line of "found junk" jewelry.

Coming soon: Geese management proposals

So, there's a committee presenting its geese management proposals. On November 17, at 6:00, at the Picnic House [Park Slope side of the park, near 3rd Street). The Prospect Park Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (PPWMAC), from whom I heard on Oct. 29, will present their plan. Everyone with any interest in wildlife should be there. Now, they are asking that people RSVP to elandau@prospectpark.org, but I think this is a sneaky way to diminish attendance, since not everybody has e-mails, believe it or not. So just show up.

And it;s about time - wildlife is under attack again, and the Parks Dept. is doing nothing about it. One of the cygnets has an (illegal) barbed hook stuck in its foot, complete with an attached fishing line. To my knowledge, the Parks Dept. has NEVER, EVER, given out a ticket for any of the many, many violations of the fishing rules and laws. Yet they love to ticket unleashed dogs at 9:10a mere 10 minutes after the off-leash time has run out. Sorry, got carried away there.

Actually, today I only saw 3 of the cygnets. I hope the fourth one is okay and just not hanging out with its siblings. I'm going to have nightmares about the poor thing. Is it trapped in another part of the lake? Did the hook get ripped out, leaving it bleeding horribly?

Go to that meeting. We need to protect wildlife in the park.

Restorative Prospect Park

I think JJ misses Ber as much as I do. She was looking very sad and walking slowly, but I threw a whole bunch of sticks for her at the Peninsula Meadow, and we chased each other, and it raised both our spirits. The news about Ber is good, and he should be home in a few days. Even the doctors seem cheerful when they talk to him.

Grandpa Swan is still on his own, eating the grass by the road. I saw Anne and Ed, who said that Papa Swan has been showing the cygnets how to hiss and fly, and they've kind of scared Grandpa off. They also say that one of the cygnets has a fish hook embedded in its leg, with a line attached. I saw the cygnets, but they stayed in the water - couldn't see their feet. Also, some girls were feeding them, and I didn't want to intrude for a closer look.

Check out the beautiful bird pictures:

Smells like snow

Two days in a row of brisk weather. Perfect for the marathon yesterday - bright, sunny, cool. Today it was overcast and felt and smelled like snow. Weather was not quite cold enough - in the 40's. Everything in the Park looks like it is preparing for winter. Leaves turning color and falling - piles of them, some being raked up. The Port-a-Johns have been taken away. Back in Virginia and West Virginia, people who have outhouses use them all year round, but New York city slickers must have more tender bottoms. Not sure where people will go when desperate. I they're expecting fewer visitors.

The duckweed has been eaten, and even the phragmites are looking less lucious - more beaten down and eaten up. Grandpa, the Lone Swan, was sitting on a grassy hill next to the road, feasting on grass. Some of the cygnets are starting to fly. I guess they have enough pin feathers now. And there seem to be way more Canada geese in the Parade Grounds than in the park. Do you think they heard about the park's geese extermination policy?

Zen in the Park

Yesterday, it was raining so hard that JJ (dog) refused to go to the park. I could barely drag her to the end of the block, in fact. This morning, it was just overcast. Very few people, and it was beautifully quiet and peaceful - truly a Zen moment. Which was exactly what I needed, since my husband has gone into the hospital for tests. We are assuming the best, but appreciating the calm and quiet of an early autumn morning. Even the swans were almost motionless, sitting still, doing a little grooming by the edge of the lake. The cygnets are almost 50% white-feathered, and looking quite decorative.

Photos from Sean Casey Halloween Bark

Thought I'd share some really cute photos.

The containers are breeding!!!

Well, it certainly looks like it! The two containers that were put on that nice spot where I thought there's be some pretty landscaping are now THREE containers. Is this going to continue? Will that whole pretty little road become with lined with containers and port-a-potties (which are a few feet away)? Where does it come from, this tendency to take any nice green, wooded spot in the city, and cover it with man-made crap. I guess I should count myself lucky that the whole park hasn't been covered with concrete.

Other than that, it was yet another gorgeous fall day. Sun shining, perfect temperature, leaves glinting with bits of gold, red, and yellow amongst the green. Water fowl mostly in the middle of the lake today, enjoying the sun.

Well, almost mostly. One young family arrived to feed them, about 30 feet away from a "Please do not feed the wild life" sign. At first, it was just the seagulls that came swooping in. Their noise and activity attracted everyone else - swans, ducks, geese, pigeons, cormorants, everyone. It reminded me a teeny bit of a scene in Hitchcock's "The Birds." A little terrifying. The family seemed to feel the same way, because they really slowed down on the feeding at that point. Any way the "don't feed" message gets across is fine with me.

Off to the Sean Casey Shelter's Halloween party with JJ in costume. Pictures tomorrow, along with the usual sarcasm.

Migrating Canada Geese

Regal, silent, and determined, three V's of migrating Canada geese flew overhead into the park this morning, just as I was getting there. About 20 - 30 in all. They landed over by the Peninsula, separate from the other geese on the Lake. Wonder if they are just stopping for a travel break, or if they plan to stay. Wish I could warn them about what happens to geese who decide to stay. When JJ and I got to the Peninsula meadow, she ran over to the spot where the newcomers arrived, she went and barked at them, and they flew off to another part of the lake.

Which reminds me of a supposed plan to expand dog areas to ward off the geese that I mentioned last week. According to a commenter, this is not so. This commenter says they are on the Committee studying the issue. Says there is NO new Parks policy yet, that they are not expanding the dog run times/places, and there is no reason for the birders and doggers to be at odds. Good to know. He/she says that the Prospect Park Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (PPWMAC) will be issuing recommendations in the next few weeks, and that these recommendations will be in accordance with the Humane Society. I can't wait to see these recommendations. It will be nice to report some facts in addition to the usual rumor, innuendo, and hearsay.

The Lake seemed particularly full of birds today. Some cormorants, a lot of ducks. All 7 swans were near the Peninsula, feeding off the phragmites. The cygnets are about 1/2 white-feathered now. Papa and Grandpa were having a little tussle, with much spreading of wings and attitude. A couple of the dogs went towards them, but not too close. Just enough to show their owners that they were doing their job of protecting them, without getting close enough to face the wrath of the protective male swan.

Saw Anne and Ed today, whom I haven't seen in a while. Anne found a big handful of fish hooks, lines, etc. She didn't get the Brooklyn Do-gooder award, but was very pleased to be one of the finalists.

The Fishing Line in the Tree Mystery

Huge numbers of people and dogs on this gorgeous Saturday. We went up Lookout Hill, where I hadn't been in some time. Looking quite clean and well-kempt. Only one crack bag and sweet cigar, and that was way on the other side, down near the Nethermead.

We were wondering how the fishing got caught in the tree, as photographed a few days ago. Mystery solved yesterday. Ber and JJ went to the park without me, and there were a bunch of kids throwing fishing line into the trees. Why, we'll never know, but Ber sat on a bench and they ran away at the sight of an adult. Ber picked up all the line, and hopefully they'll find some other, less dangerous to bird, amusement. No photos, though.

The ducks seem to be pairing off. The beautiful male mallards are back. Well, actually, as I learn more about birds, I have learned that they never went away. It seems that they molt off all those lovely teal feathers every year, then grow them back. So now they are chasing after the females, their head bobbing rhythmically as they go. The females stay in front, maintaining the same distance from a particular male, looking in every direction but back at her suitor. Some are already coupled off, others are in a big group by the Boathouse.

The snow goose seems to have taken up permanent residence in the Lullwater. Looks like it has joined up with the ducks there. I also found a net on a stick by the Lullwater. Used for turtles? frogs? fish? Don't know, but I didn't leave it where I found it.

We also met two ratting beagles on the Lullwater path. Their owner says they killed one yesterday, and thinks Bloomberg should offer a bounty of $10 per rat tail. At first, I thought it was a great idea. But you know New York. People will start raising rats for the tails.

I just loved the idea of the trash cans open and ready for business that we passed on the way to the park.

Beautiful blue heron

It was a blustery day today, as Disney's version of Winnie the Pooh used to say. And there, standing quite calmly by the side of the lake, was a big, beautiful blue heron. I got within 10 feet of him, but no closer as I didn't want to scare him away. Previous heron sightings have always been across the water, and hard to see. This one was right at the lake edge by the path. AND he was not standing stock still, as I've always seen him before, but walking up and down, checking everything out.

Met up with Ed, who saw the snow goose on the Lullwater. Nice to know it is staying around. While talking, we saw a flying swan high overhead. It was moving way too fast for me to get a picture. We're not sure if it was a local or visiting swan. Quite possibly visiting, since it was very high up and headed out of the park. Maybe a visitor from Gateway, where I hear they also have swans.

I am pleased to report that Anne-Katrin is one of the 20 finalists in the Brooklyn Do-Gooder contest. Now a panel will select the top 5 Do-Gooders. Other Park people that we talked to think that the ultimate choices will be political decisions. Anne-Katrin, like so many of us who report on what's going on in the Park, is often regarded as a bit of a trouble-maker, so we are not optimistic about her winning. That's as nice a way as I can possibly put it.

I got a comment about the "birders vs. dog-lovers" disagreement that I mentioned the other day. Full disclosure: I am a dog owner and a member of FIDO. I never had much interest in bird-watching, although that is changing, what with the excitement of all the swans, geese, ducks, herons, etc. in the Park. I hear (rumor, innuendo and hearsay dept.) that some of the birders really hate the dog people. Hope that's not true. I really feel that there's plenty of room for all of us to enjoy the park.

Unfortunately, these big vehicles I saw the other day were not doing the landscaping that I had hoped. They just made room for big storage containers to be parked in the woods rather than on the road. I really hate the way plants are always the first thing to be sacrificed in the name of.....??? organization ??? efficiency ??? what ??? wouldn't it be nice if sometime concrete was the first thing to be sacrificed?

Just when everything seems so peaceful...

Very peaceful in the park today. Overcast sky, on the verge of rain. We could see the entire swan family across the lake, gliding along in one perfect line, around the Peninsula, up the Lullwater, to the Boathouse. Other than that, the lake seems very quiet and empty. Hardly any people or dogs, probably because the weather is almost inclement. I really miss the geese.

Big machines cleaning up assorted tree detritus on by the road near Peninsula. They were taking away rubble and adding topsoil, presumably for future plantings. I was surprised not to see small boys and their care-takers.

So then Tony (head of FIDO) arrived at Peninsula meadow with one of his dogs, Fanny. Poor Jupiter, his other dog, bumped into his stove and got scalded by boiling water. He's at the vet and will hopefully be okay.

Anyway, we were talking, and it turns out there is not peace in the park these days. Seems the birders are upset with the FIDO people because of the Park department's recent decision to allow more off-leash times/places. This sounds too complicated. Let me start again: According to Tony, the Parks Dept. is going to make more off-leash times or places (I'm not sure) as a geese-prevention measure. This is one of the things that Seattle did to make the geese unwelcome and stop their population explosion. This was not FIDO's doing. And in fact, it hasn't actually happened yet. One wonders if it ever will, what with the Parks Dept.'s reputation for reliability and all (not good). The birders do not like this idea, feeling that the off-leash dogs scare away the birds. The little area near the Peninsula, right by the new Barbecue Plaza, is a VERY popular area for bird-watching. It's right by the woods of Lookout Hill, dense and full of birds. Anyway, we'll see what happens.

Sweater days and Snow Goose

Brisk and breezy and a sweater day in the park, at least for the dogs. So many small dogs in their winter wear! The hot pink sweater on the little gray dog is actually insulated. Missed a shot of a navy mohair cable stitch number - the dog was just running way too fast.

JJ of course, is growing her own sweater. Her fur is starting to look quite shaggy, although it's only about halfway grown in since the summer short cut. Even the swans are spreading their wings to provide a sweater effect. And those long haired collies and sheepdogs that we see finally look dressed for the weather.

Another sign of winter: the bird that I thought was a visiting white duck turns out to be a snow goose! They live in the Arctic in the summer - Northern Canada and Alaska, and fly south in the winter. They mate for life, so I suspect our visitor is quite young, being a singleton. I thought it was a duck because the neck is not particularly long. Long neck = goose, short neck = duck. That's how I know the difference. Actually, I only learned that a couple of years ago - never had the good birding skills. Anyway, he/she/it hangs out with the ducks. Yesterday and today it was in the Lullwater with mallards (see picture). They were sunning themselves on a nice big branch in the water. I tried to sneak quietly down to the water and get a close picture, but they all swam to the middle. They may have also been attracted to the man feeding the birds. Does anyone read the "Please do not feed the wildlife" signs?

Another sign of approaching winter: looks like they are preparing to put up the tennis bubble house. Seems so soon!

The Parade Grounds were absolutely full, hundreds of people. Must have been 30 teams of kids playing and practicing - soccer, rugby, football. So cute to see the football players - all those boys with matchstick legs and giant shoulders (the pads).

So many pictures today, so I'm using the small size. Remember: clicking on them makes them nice and large.

Visiting duck, beautiful fall

Here's a pretty good shot of the new visiting duck. It's all white, and quite large. I wonder if it's an escapee from one of the Long Island duck farms. Hmmm - are there still Long Island Duck farms? There were many of them when I was a kid, but I suspect many have been replaced by housing developments. This is my new camera, a replacement for the one I lost on vacation. It seems pretty good, and hopefully will last at least until next summer's big vacation.

Fantastic fall colors in the park right now - just a few trees, really standing out in contrast with the greenery.

Interesting fishing line caught in a tree. It comes straight up from the water, and is looped over a branch of a tree by a stick tied to its end. Sadly, it looks impossible to get from the shore. Hopefully none of the birds will strangle themselves on it before the Parks Dept. takes action.