Cayuga still at lake, dredger arrives

Big entry today - A lot seems to be happening and I'm probably posting way too many pictures, but they say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and I don't want to be writing 10,000 more words.

The continuing story of Cayuga the duck: Cayuga was not removed by animal control yesterday, although he was netted and looked at. It's more likely a blister or growth than a pellet. We saw him today. Although he isn't going into the water, he looks like he's improving, at least to our uneducated and hopelessly optimistic eyes. He looks like he's moving his neck a bit better. We may bring him some canned corn - easier to eat than popcorn - tomorrow and see if he'll eat it. there should be an article in the Brooklyn Paper about him in a few days. A reporter was there and has talked with Ed and Anne. It turns out that Cayuga is not a wild duck, but a domesticated one that has taken up residence in the park. Since he's injured, you can get close to him. He looks plain black from a distance, but in the sunlight you can see iridescent blues and greens in his coloring. Truly stunning.

A pair of geese have taken over the dock - more recycling in action. The dock seems to have settled in one spot and is not floating all around the lake any more. I'm glad some of the birds are making good use of it.

The Smurf movie people are still around. They are planting all kinds of beautiful flowers - both real and artificial - all around the boathouse, which is temporarily Anjelou's, an outdoor cafe. They also restored a path alongside the waterfall, also with lots of plantings. There were also some fake lampposts laying on the side, ready to be put into the film. We asked one of the guards if the plants were staying. He said no, that the Parks Department didn't want them because then they would have to maintain them. A shame. The movie people are turning this area of the park into the way the park should be - OF COURSE we can't keep it that way. I'm pretty sure this will be a terrible movie, but I may have to go see it anyway, just for the gorgeous rendition of Prospect Park and the Boathouse. Normally I avoid all cartoon/comic book movies, but I think this will be the exception.

The steps up to Lookout Hill are still scrupulously clean. The pictures are of the different flights - one can see why it is such good exercise. there are even more than shown. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed every moment of our huffing and puffing.


We were very excited to see a dredger arrive - a boat named the Lake Mess Monster. We also met a Mr. Woess, the driver and in charge of it, and a naturalist. He works at the Prospect Park Alliance, a private non-profit. He says the Alliance is in charge of the lake, and that the news coverage (Greg Mocker's tire and TV stories, Brooklyn paper coverage, etc,.) has blown everything out of proportion. This may be true, although I hadn't noticed any dredger until the media coverage happened. I asked if the dredger would be cleaning out the lake. Not yet. First, they want to control the duckweed that grows in the lake, then they'll start on the trash. We'll see. He says to notify the Alliance of major trash dumps, not the parks Dept. He didn't answer my question about the trash can that's been sitting in the lake for at least a year. I'm concerned that the Parks Dept. has delegated the lake to a private company, since it is a public park. Where is the accountability?

Anyway, it was very impressive to see the launching of the dredger. I also talked to him about the swans. He didn't seem too concerned, and said that mute swans need a large territory, so that there shouldn't be that many here. He was very unconcerned about the nest - possibly for the same reason. I did some research. What he said seems to be not exactly true. Apparently when there's enough food, the swans are not so territorial and can live in large groups in peace and harmony. In fact, there's a huge flock of swans in Abbotsbury, in Dorset, England, where there are nearly 1,000 mute swans living peacefully. Of course they are fed regularly, but so are the swans in Prospect Park, what with so many people feeding them as a recreational activity. An interesting note: in Abbotsbury they have recently documented the second official sighting of a pair of gay swans living happily together.

One final plus: the fence around the BBQ cage is really down!! We shall rename it the BBQ Plaza.

And: A HUGE Congratulations to the Swan Princess!! Some time ago she took the N.Y. State Wildlife Rehabilitation Exam. She just found out she passed with a score of 99%! That is great. Among other things, it means she can perfectly legally take Cayuga to rehabilitate him. Love it when people walk the walk as well as talk the talk.