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2/19/00
POPPY'S BACK!
Last year I typed three separate items on my favorite Georgetown Reservoir Canada Geese: "Poppy
and Maudy" parts I, II and III (I've been 'tracking' them for at least six years). Where I left off last year was after Maudy
had some babies and they were born late and one wondered if they would survive--their older Juvenal siblings were very inhospitable
and one almost pecked one of Maudy's babes to death... I left them with well-wishes and hoped I'd see them next late Winter...
Well, guess what happened this morning:
I stop off at the Rez before Work. I'm throwing old bread up for the
Gulls (the Gulls are now recognizing me from afar and following me to the Center area = cool). It's an Aerial Ballet (they
coast and/or hover @ 12-15 feet up and in front of me and they catch my bread mid-air) that I enjoy being part of (my job
is to give 'em a Good Throw--not too low; figure-in the wind; and throw a bit ahead).
I notice that there are a couple
of C. Geese at the water's edge. I invite them to come to the fence. It takes a bit of coaxing, but finally the Female makes
her way through the Gulls-on-the-ground (who will intimidate an unknowing Goose; but are easily shooshed-away by an experienced
one). The Male is stand-offish and not handling the pesty Gulls all that well--he's not savvy, yet. And then, all of a sudden,
I hear honking from about midway out into the Rez and I see a C. Goose flying straight for Me! The two New Geese move away
and the Incoming Goose lands about four feet from the fence and he's honking up a storm and I'm talking to him (how beautiful
he is, etc.) and I realize
POPPY'S BACK!
I can see a faint milky ring around his eyes = this must be Poppy.
But, the Unequivocal thing is how he flew-in--no other Goose would be so familiar so quick. It is He!
"Poppy-boy; Poppy-dude:
so glad to see you! I don't know if you understand what a thrill it is for me, but this yearly Reintroduction thing is a major
Bright Moment! You're 'wild'; I'm 'civilized'. We meet at this artificial Reservoir every year; and for me to be able to Connect
with you like this is Very Special. Thanks once again for remembering me!"
(to me):
"Honk, Honk."
"Yes, but, where's
the Wife? Where's Maudy?"
"Honk, honk, honk."
"You haven't lost her, have you? I sure hope not."
(to the area
he just flew in from):
"Honk, honkity, honk."
And then he suddenly flaps his wings and flies over to that area. And
it looks like the head of a C. Goose is visible behind that cement center-strip. And Poppy is doing Neck Gyrations that male
C.G.'s do towards their Spouses...
Well, I didn't have time to make a positive ID (had to get to Work), but it probably
was Maudy. I'm sure hoping so. I have a thing for her Eyes... We'll check it out tomorrow.
E.
2/25/99
Follow-up: I haven't seen Poppy again (as far as I can tell, anyway). There are quite a few C.G. couples at the Rez
now (off and on), but I haven't detected Poppy (or Maudy). I'll keep my fingers crossed: That one time (2/19) that I saw him,
I wasn't sure if Maudy was with him. I'm still not sure. It's very possible that she didn't make it this time--there's no
telling what might have happened to her (them both--they mate for Life; she's Poppy's most significant other). I did see a
lone C.G. (no mate visible) this morning and I wondered if it mightn't have been Poppy (a sad and lonely Poppy). I sure hope
not...
E.
======================================
2/29/00
There are now the beginnings of the
Territory Stakeout phase of the GT Reservoir Canada Geese. There are quite a few CG Couples, now. And one Couple in particular
is getting the hang of Ted the Me Boy's morning bread-breakfast. So, they gradually make their way. And it's the Female first,
as always. And she seems very capable of dealing with the Gulls (she just barges her way through); but the Dude can't quite
figure the Gull thing out (all he has to do is give them a few hisses and beak-jabs and they'll split). So: I figure this
is the couple I mentioned earlier. Right: So...
Where's Poppy? I have this unhappy feeling that he's lost Maudy (or she's
been taken from him)... When he came to the Reservoir on 2/19 (positive ID), he might have been telling me this:
"Ted.
I can't find Maudy. I've looked every-logical-where and she's not there. So, I come here to the Rez--maybe she's here. And
I see you, so I come over and I ask if you've seen her... Geez, Ted, she was my Reason For Being..."
I sure hope not...
E.
====================================
3/1/00
Yesterday's note must have been some sort
of Leap Day phenomenon (wistful). Because today's is the complete opposite:
BOTH POPPY AND MAUDY ARE BACK
Part
I
This is sooo good:
I've got about half a loaf of bread in one of my saddle bags this morning, so I'm thinking
I'd better parse it out carefully--some for the Gulls, but most assuredly some for the new C. Goose couple (who take a while
to get to the fence--a bit cautious, still). And, hey, you never know, maybe You Know Who will be there...
So, I make
my way up the Reservoir Road hill, and I'm coasting alongside the Rez fence, and about halfway into the first half of the
Rez I hear Honking. And as I get closer to the Center Divide I see two CG's honking and swimming in my direction. And as I
get alongside them and then a little past them, they turn and come my way. And as I'm pulling the bike up out of the street
at the Center Divide I see them fly up and out of the water and towards me. They land at the water's edge, though (not right
up to the fence), so I'm thinking this must be the New Couple and they're becoming Regular Customers...
No, wait a minute.
After I said a few things to them, they came straightaway to the fence: the Female knowingly making the Gulls part; the Male
standing upright and back a bit, but unbothered by the Gull phenomenon: "C'mon, you guys. This can't be for Real, can it?
Is it really Both Of You?!" It sure seems that way, but I have to observe more: the Male seems to have that faint milky ring
around each eye (= Poppy); and the Female is eating the bread unfazed by the traffic/Gulls/me (= Maudy). This isn't the New
Couple, for sure. So, it's got to be
POPPY AND MAUDY
We exchange pleasantries (as only We know how, in Our
own inimitable way). We're havin'-a-good-old-time, but Poppy's getting nervous... There's another CG couple heading our way
and they're making a lot of Territorial Racket = a Challenge. Oh-oh. This is the New Couple and they don't know about Poppy
and Maudy--all they know is that I had been feeding them regularly the past few days and this is supposed to be Their bread
and Their territory: they're coming to claim it... Oh, oh. Maudy stops eating and watches. Poppy is saying, "Oh, no you don't.
Not a chance. I'm the Veteran Dominant Male at the Rez (have been for years) and I'm afraid I'm going to have to kick your
butt." The New Male doesn't back down. And it becomes
WARBIRDS
I've seen this phenomenon several times at
the Rez; and it always makes me nervous. Two Males duking-it-out:
First, they fan their wings out full-spread.
Then
they go (with their beaks) for each other's neck.
Poppy and New Male are locked-in. Now it's a matter of one being Stronger
and Smarter than the other. It's fairly even for awhile, but Poppy eventually pushes New Male backwards and into the water
and it's over (theoretically)--Poppy comes proudly back to Maudy and Me. And everything is Cool: "Wow, Poppy, you've still
got it. Good job." ... Yeah, but: New Male/Female swam their way around to another side and the Female seemed to be egging-him-on,
"Get back in there and win me that bread. I'm pregnant and I need as much body fat as possible. I need that bread." And New
Male is saying, "I'd rather not. The dude caused some real Pain, you dig?" But, she keeps pushing towards Us and so it's
ROUND
TWO
Poppy and New Male. Locked-in. New Male ends up in the water again. And Poppy's going to make the point stick
this time, so he grabs New Male's tail feathers and chases him up out of the water and makes him fly to the far-end of the
Rez. Simultaneously, Maudy has chased New Female to the same place. Then they Both land near the water's edge, swim over,
walk up and look me straight in the eye and say: "How about That?!" ... "Man, oh man. You guys are great!"
I don't
like the Fights--some can get hurt pretty bad. I yelled at couple of 'em one time: "Hey, stop that! That's not necessary!
Is it?" They paid me no mind. It's all part of the Way Things Are, so it's OK. But, I prefer to see one Male simply back down,
which happens most of the time (Territory Time).
I'm sooo pleased to have them Both back again. This is the beginning
of
POPPY AND MAUDY--CHAPTER VII: THE YEAR 2000
====================================
3/3/00
Part
II
This morning: I'm riding alongside the Rez fence, making my way towards the Center Gate and I see two CG's in the
water up ahead and before you know it they've recognized me and are flying to meet me! And I say, "Poppy and Maudy, how Beautiful!"
And they land near the fence and I start squeezing bread through... and they don't come... The incline is steeper here than
at the Center Gate, but still, P and M know all the terrain at the Rez and would show no reluctance coming to the fence...
Hmm... This has to be the New Couple. But, how did they pick up on the flying-to-the-fence-to-greet-me bit so quickly? I'll
bet they're from a previous year's brood/creche/gaggle: There would always be, every year, several Juvenals that got the hang
of greeting-me (I have some home-video stuff from a few years back that shows a group-of-five Juvenals doing the fly-to-the-fence/greet-Ted
thing). I'll bet these two have a memory of me from before... Hmm...
At any rate, I move on to the Center Gate. I
throw bread up for the Gulls and I look around for P and M: nothing. Hmm... Let's see what happens tomorrow.
E.
========================================
3/10/00
WHO'S WHO?
I haven't seen Poppy and Maudy for some time. At least I think I haven't:
A
couple of days ago, on my way to Work, I'm greeted at the fence by two C. Geese. But, I'm not seeing the ring around the Male's
eye and the Female doesn't come readily. There are no other CG's in the area. So, I'm saying these two are the New Couple
(I may have to give them names if they're going to be around a lot).
And I'm thinking maybe Poppy got defeated in a battle
I didn't witness and now the New Couple are the Dominant Pair.
Yeah, well, except:
This morning, I have two
CG's come to the fence and this time I do see the thin ring around the Male's eyes and the Female does come readily. There
are no other CG's in the vicinity. So, these have to be
POPPY AND MAUDY
So are these Two Couples displacing
each other, or what? I'll keep my eyes open and let you know.
E.
===================================
3/13/00
DISPLACE? or DAT PLACE?
This morning (Monday--such a fun Workday) I, once again, have the pleasurable phenomenon
of two Canada Geese sighting me at 50 yards, flying up and out of the water to the Center Gate where I arrive just one moment
later and sing "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!": "You guys sure do make-my-day, you know that, don't you? Out of all the rush-hour
traffic on MacArthur Boulevard (including bicyclists with helmets) you can pick me out at 50 yards = awesome!" But:
Who
are You Two? Today, I think I see the faint ring around the Male's eyes, but I'm not sure. The Female seems more relaxed and
comes to the fence pretty much straightaway... I'm really not sure. So, I'm going to do this:
Since this is the second
time, now, that Two CG's have greeted me this way at the Center Gate and there have been zero challenging couples, I'm going
to conclude that they're
POPPY AND MAUDY
The Rationalization will be this from now on:
Even if
they aren't P and M, I'm going to consider them so. Because:
1. They appear to be the Dominant Alpha Couple this year
(only the DAC controls the Center Gate); and
2. They're acting just like P and M.
3. Even if these guys are actually
the New Couple, I'm going to consider them "P and M, the Next Generation" and leave it at that.
4. They're definitely
Ted E. Boy's Reservoir Buddies and they bring Joy.
E.
======================================
3/19/00
I'm getting this Greeting Couple almost every morning, now. And, except for that one time, it's definitely been
POPPY
AND MAUDY
each time.
So, we'll leave it at that. We have these wonderful capo- da-capo encounters and my days
are brightened by them. Thank you, God/Mother Nature.
E.
3/23/00
There's no question any more, it's
P and M every time. And this morning was fascinating because:
There were quite a few New CG's (at least six) near
the Center Gate. None of them dared challenge P and M (none of them were paired = no real motivation to challenge). But, Maudy
(not Poppy) decided they were getting too close and so she hunkered down, hissed and charged (just like Poppy always has)
the Interlopers, one by one, and made them retreat.
I've never seen her do this before (this is Year VII, now). Pretty
Cool.
And what was Poppy doing? Watching/Looking Around/Eating Bread. Nothing much. And then he decides to fly halfway
across the Rez and harass a Couple on the Center Strip.
So, it looks like:
1. Poppy takes care of the Paired Interlopers;
and 2. Maudy takes care of the Unattached.
Very Cool.
E.
=======================================================
4/8/00
It's been a while. The basic update is this:
Poppy and Maudy are just fine. And in control.
They've both been flying to the fence before I get there (= yes!); and they're re-familiarized enough to grab the bread out
of my hands now (= yes!). We're completely Bonded again (double yes!). The latest development is this: Two days ago Maudy
started
NESTING
So, let's do the Calendar:
1st Day: Thursday, 4/6/00
Days on nest (without
ever leaving the nest = no food or water):
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, then:
7th Day: Wednesday 4/12/00
MAUDY LEFT
THE NEST SITE
and came to the fence! Why? Not sure. Poppy came first, then Maudy. She seems fine, but why leave the
Site?
8th Day: Thursday 4/13/00
Both Poppy and Maudy fly to the fence this morning. They land a bit short
so walk the rest of the way. Poppy's fine, but
MAUDY'S LIMPING
Something's wrong with her left leg/foot! How'd
that happen? Not a good sign. Geez. I try to look her in the eye and say, "I understand, Maudy. Hang in there."
9th
Day: Friday 4/14/00
Neither Poppy nor Maudy come to the fence. I see them both in the water near her Site. To Poppy's
great credit he 'stands by his woman' rather than fly to the fence for the bread.
10th Day: Saturday 4/15/00
Both
Poppy and Maudy fly towards the fence, but land at water's edge (@ 30 feet from the fence). They begin to walk the rest of
the way and I notice Maudy's Limp is still there, so I throw some bread as far as I can towards them. Poppy gets to some first.
It takes Maudy a while to hobble-over, but she finally gets there. I say, "Hey Maudy, I understand. I wish I could help you."
After a bit Maudy starts toward the water. The Limp is disconcerting. Poppy follows her. Once she's in the water I feel a
sense of relief. She and Poppy meander their way back to the Site area.
11th Day: Sunday 4/16/00
Well, I'll
be dipped:
MAUDY'S BACK ON THE NEST
She repositions herself, plucks down from her own body and tucks it around
herself = Nesting. So, what do I do now? Consider this an Extension (and keep counting) or Start Over? For now, I'll make
it an Extension. So: 11 days = 7 days On; 4 days Off. Poppy swims to water's edge and casually makes his way towards the fence.
There are a lot of other CG's around. Poppy decides to take the Submissive Role (Maudy's secure on-the-nest = don't create
havoc and disturb her; just sneak a bit of bread when the others aren't posturing so much and make your way back to Maudy)--smart
guy... I don't say anything to Maudy. She's in some sort of Reverie and it's too beautiful to barge-in on.
E.
=================================================
Latter April/Early May/2000
I'm going to have to summarize here because I lost a certain amount of
information due to a terrible thing that happened to the Computer (see Addendum).
6/3/00
Addendum
(Ed.
note: My Computer [that I was very attached to] CRASHED--totally. I lost everything! And Great Friend Leonard has been coming
over to address the situation. And after many hours--he did an eight-hour stint a couple of days ago--we're still Stuck...
It's turned into a real Nightmare! ... Which is causing Nightmare #2 = having to type on a Typewriter again. The Computer
was such a beautiful instrument for typing... I miss it so...) .
(Ed. note #2: A friend at Work has a Scanner at home,
so I asked him to scan this typewriter-written Addendum and hopefully 'translate' it to Computer-compatible script. Well,
that's what he did and it works great! So, we continue:)
POPPY AND MAUDY
I think I had left this year's
installment of
POPPY AND MAUDY
at the point where Maudy tried so hard to Nest (she picked her spot and tried
to Lay), but nothing came of it. She started coming to the fence to me (with Poppy coming, too) and I told her not to feel
so bad: "It's OK, babe. You know there'll be a Next Time. So, go with the Flow, you know?" She nodded Yes. And so did Poppy
and I wished them well. We all knew that we'd lose track of each other the rest of the Summer = the individual Broods end
up mixing-into one big Creche of Juvenals with bunches of Parents watching over them and I won't be able to tell who Poppy
and Maudy are any more = that's fine; that's The Way It Is every year...
(Ed. note: At least Maudy is not Limping
anymore = whew.)
Well, let me tell you something: It ain't over yet ...
Today is Saturday and I opted to do
some Overtime at Work = I can use the extra dough and it's much more casual than M-F, so it's not so bad. Right, so I'm cycling
past the Georgetown Reservoir @ 9:20 AM and I'm hoping I'm not going to find any Goslings on the wrong side of the fence (as
I had the previous two mornings = Bummer/It makes me so Mad). Well, I'm almost up to the 'Castle' and so-far-so-good... But,
just before the Castle I see one Baby on the outside... Damn! Well, if this were a weekday I'd have to keep on riding to Work:
I'd turn my ring around so as not to forget; and as soon as I could pick up the phone without Joel asking what I'm doing I'd
call this phone number I always keep in my shirt-pocket: "Washington Aqueduct" = the 'caretakers' of the Reservoir = an ignorant
(as in ignoring my pleas of the last 5 years) bunch of do-not-enoughs = the US Army Corps of Engineers. 'Loretta' answers
and I say pretty much the same thing every time: "This is Ted. I rode past the GT Reservoir this morning and (x# of) Goslings
(and/or Adults) are on the wrong side of the fence, AGAIN. Every Spring the Chief Engineer tells me the fencing is just fine
and it never is and it's Your fault that these innocent Creatures are in Peril (of being squashed by Rush Hour Traffic--I
counted Six Dead In The Gutters last year). Please address this issue before someone gets killed, AGAIN." (Slam) ... (And
when I go home from Work, it's usually taken-care-of) But, this isn't a weekday... I have to address it myself. So, I pull
the bike up onto the Strip that runs along the fence. And as I'm fussing with my helmet and such I'm thinking: "How the hell
am I going to get this Critter back In?! A couple of weeks ago, I was riding home from Work and I saw a young gal walking
along the Strip, coming towards me. As I got closer I realized there was a baby Gosling in front of her and she looked like
she didn't know what to do, so I pulled-over and I had her pull-up a section of fence and I scooped-up the Gosling and shooshed-it
under the fence. Right. But I'm alone now = what to do?" ... Well, by the time I'd turned towards the Gosling it had already
squeezed itself under the fence and was back in with its Family on the Inside = Great! ... So, I walk over to the Family (2
adults and three babies) and I say: "Man, you're real lucky today. Usually the Babe can't find its way back and it's Panic.
So: Congratulations on your Reunion and Best Of Luck.." ... Now, wait a minute: Who am I talking to? The Male and Female are
acting Very Familiar. And, wait a minute: There are distinctive white 'rings' around the Male's eyes! I had put my headphones
on by this time, but I took them right off again and did a kneel-down face-to-face with the Adults = come on, now: can these
be who I think they are? =
POPPY AND MAUDY
I know this doesn't seem possible: It's very late in the Nesting
Season (Nesting is actually past). But, you know, Maudy had a successful 2nd Try last year... I swear: It is Poppy and Maudy
and here's what's happening: Remember last year, Maudy had a late Brood and her Babies were much younger than the main Juvenal
Creche and they were in great danger of being mauled or pecked-to-death by the Juvenals? And remember commenting on "Where's
Poppy (the Great Protector/Dominant Alpha Male" (he was mixed-in with the Supervising Adults, I assumed, and therefore he
was 'Guiltless' = Supervisors never discipline the Creche, they only protect it)? There was disappointment last year that
Poppy wasn't around to protect Maudy's late Brood. But, looky here: These Babies (three) are about the same age as last year's
Brood, so Poppy wouldn't necessarily have to be 'on-call' for Maudy at this point, right? (Ed. note: I really don't know =
pure speculation.) But, here he is and he's doing a real Number on the Juvenals who have come over to where we are (thinking
I've got some Bread): Poppy is making sure that his three Babies stay in a tight cluster and he's giving the Juvenals the
git-yer-ass-outta-here neck-to-the-ground Posture = nobody messes with Poppy in this mode. There's an Art to this: the Juvenals
are coming like a Stampede. But Poppy's got all the right moves at the right time = so Cool. Maudy is helping, too, of course.
And the reaction of the Juvenal Creche Adult Supervisors is interesting: They would normally protect their Juvenals from attack
(Poppy's giving a few of them some real hard smacks with his beak), but Poppy's Alpha #1 and he's only protecting his Three,
really, so the other Adults just go with the flow...
Well, I'll be! P and M had a Brood, after all. And it's as if
Poppy thought about last year (when he didn't protect Maudy's Babes) and decided to do things Differently this year = so Cool!
E.
=======================================================
6/15/00
(Ed. note: The Computer
is back 'up', now...)
This AM on my way to work I see a Juvie on the wrong side of the fence at the GT Rez again.
There are two Adults and one other Juvie on the other side. This can only be
POPPY AND MAUDY
and Family
(the Juvies are small--P and M's 'late bloomers'). Yes, there are now only Two Juvies...
Well, what do I do? There's no
one around to help lift the fence up...
I slowy move-in on the Babe and gather it up in my arms. Now what? Well, luckily
there's a portion of fence I can lift up fairly easily, so, with the Babe cradled in my left arm, I lift the bottom of fence
towards me and scoot the Juvie under = Yippee! Family Reunion!
I talk to P and M for awhile and go to Work with Great
Satisfaction = Yes!
E.
=========================================================
6/28/00
The
forecast was for rain today, so I take the Bus. It's not raining this AM yet, but I don't like getting caught in it on my
Bike.
As the Bus passes the Rez I see Two Adult Geese and two Juvenals on the wrong side of the fence = Bummer. But:
There's
an older adult Man and a young Boy who are carefully trying to shoosh the Brood along the fence and eventually around the
corner of the main gate which will at least get them off of MacArthur Blvd. (away from rush-hour traffic). I decide to not
get off the Bus--there's nothing more I would be able to do either... I wish everyone well...
When I leave Work and
head home the Rez situation is back to Normal, so I decide not to worry...
=======================================================
6/29/00
The Boss' Wife commented this AM that she noticed some Advanced Juvies (not P and M's--they're still
small enough to call Goslings) running along the fence at the Rez. They were inside, so it's OK. But her comments about the
Juvies is pretty funny:
I told her they're Teenagers. And she said: "Yes, they walk like Teenagers = 'Yikes! What happened?!
My legs got longer overnight!' ". ...
============================================
7/11/00
Riding
towards home from work:
I'm cruising past the Castle (the one and only building at the Rez) and I'm glancing over at the
fence (I really don't have any intention of stopping--I'm just relieved that no Geese are on the wrong side of the fence)
and I see one Adult and one Juvenal running alongside/inside the fence, seemingly trying to get my attention. I'm quite-a-ways
ahead of them, but I look back and say, "Is that you, Poppy?" It sure seems so. So, I turn around and come up to the fence
and sure-as-shootin', it's
POPPY AND 1 JUVIE
and guess who was farther back but is also now at the fence...
right:
MAUDY
It's now down to one Offspring--Mom, Dad and Juvie. But, hey, in the real Natural World one-out-of-three
is quite acceptable. To be sure, it's a Family Affair and I get to be part of it, too.
We talk... And I push some bread
through the fence. And other CG's come over, too, but Poppy's doing his 'This Is My Family And My Turf' posturing and pecking
= he's a Proud Poppa and he's showing-off-a-bit for TedEBoy, too (I tell him, "Attaboy, Poppy. Show 'em who's Boss.").
I
sure like these 'guys'...
E.
============================================
7/12/00
On the way
to Work I stop off at the Center Gate and throw bread for several Geese and Mallard Ducks (and Crows and Gulls and Starlings
and House Sparrows, too), but I don't throw it all. I move on down the street and I notice two Adult CG's swimming towards
'shore'/me. And trailing behind them is--I'm not sure--a female Mallard? a Pied-Billed Grebe? ... Well, of course not,
it's
JUVIE
and the two Adults are
POPPY AND MAUDY
P and M come ashore first and Juvie is right
behind them and we have a nice visit. And it slays me that they could recognize me from so far away... And I don't stare (ever)
but I really like looking into their eyes--you know: the 'windows of their souls'. It's a Connect that I can't quite precisely
describe, but I sure do feel it...
E.
===========================================
7/14/00
It
has now become a Daily Habit:
POPPY, MAUDY AND JUVIE
In the AM (on the way to Work) and in the PM (on the
way from Work), P, M and J must be looking for me all day long = no matter what time I pass by, they're looking for me, they
find me and they start running/swimming faster... Several times I've had no bread and I find myself apologizing to them as
I ride by...
I must be sure to always have Goose-edibles with me.
We'll see how long this keeps up.
Should
I feel Fortunate? Or should I feel guilty about creating a False Bond? ...
I've decided to feel Fortunate = I really
like knowing this Goose Family (and having them know me in return).
E.
=============================================
7/25/00
I may not write much more on P and M and J this year: I'll see them from time-to-time, but
soon enough it'll become very difficult to spot the Juvenal (it'll look like an Adult) anymore and P and M will become less
Parents and more Adult Flock Leaders. Juvie will gradually learn to fly and cooler weather will cause the Migratory Juices
to flow... and I'll have to wait until next late Winter to re-establish close contact. It's the-way-things-are and that's
just Fine with me.
E.
=================================================
8/02/00
This is not
concerning Poppy, Maudy or Juvie, but it's important:
There have been Two Adult Canada Geese on the Wrong Side Of
The Fence at the Rez for at least four days. I've called the US Army Corps of Engineers (Washington Aqueduct) after I've gotten
to Work in the AM, but nothing's been done. I was hoping it would 'take care of itself' (some other Folks would shoosh them
around the corner of the Castle building; or the Geese would find a hole to get back in by themselves)... This is the first
time in six years that any couple has been stranded so long. And there's this New Phenomenon:
Lots Of Goose Poop On
The Sidewalk
I tried to get the local neighborhood newspaper, The Palisades, to take some interest in the Georgetown
Reservoir/Canada Geese On The Wrong Side Of The
Fence business. The Editor suggested I talk to a guy named ____ ______;
maybe he could help...
Well I give him a call and tell him I think the Chief Engineer for the Washington Aqueduct is basically
a Creep. And he tells me the Chief Engineer is a close personal friend of his and he thinks the CE is a Great Guy. And I tell
him about the Geese at the Rez and all this guy can think of is: "Have you seen the Geese at the Dale Carlia Water Treatment
Facility (also part of the Washington Aqueduct)? They poop all over the place! They're a Real Problem." And I say,
"No,
I don't get over that way very often. And that's a completely different situation. I'm talking about the Geese at the Georgetown
Reservoir; and Poop is not the problem--it's Holes in the Fence and Goslings and other Geese getting out and not being able
to get back in and some get Killed by Rush Hour Traffic..."
Well, this guy was obviously not going to help me, so I gave
up on him; but, now that these two abovementioned Geese have been out so long I have to admit (to myself) that I understand
what he's talking about = there's Poop all over the place... Which, to my mind, is just another Very Good Reason why the Corps
of Engineers should get the Fencing at the Rez straightened out. (Ed. note: I've been lobbying for years to get this taken
care of = I'm almost at my wit's end. But, I do have one Very Good Plan that I'll pursue once School begins in the Fall...
This is a Whole 'Nother Topic.. later...)
I told the Boss' Wife about the Two Geese On The Wrong Side today. It was
to be a rainy day in the AM, so I took the bus. The Boss' Wife invariably offers to give me a ride home after Work on days
like this; so we're going down MacArthur Blvd. and I'm saying, "I don't know if I want to look or not. I don't know what to
do about These Two Geese--I surely can't solve it Solo. I need an Accomplice."
Well, M.A. (Boss' Wife) says, "There
they are. Should I pull over?" ... Sobeit. And we make our way to The Two and I tell M.A. that I found a Section Of Fence
yesterday that could be lifted up fairly high and someone had piled a bunch of medium-sized stones up against it (so Those
Inside wouldn't be able to squeeze-under) and I had propped the fence up with these stones but I failed at trying to 'shoosh'
These Two under (they went every-whichaway except under). ...
Well, it seems like it should be fairly easy with two people,
but it's not = every-whichaway again ( there was even a moment when One ran out into the street and M.A.
basically put
her Life On The Line by making the approaching car SLOW DOWN!). ... Finally, though, we get One and then The Other under -
Whew! I tell them, "Let's not go through this again, OK?! You're welcome." ... And Home we Humans go (with a Really Good Feeling
inside)...
E.
====================================================
8/08/00
POPPY, MAUDY and
JUVIE
The Bond is quite complete. Juvie is getting used to my Voice and I'm making sure to take my helmet off once
in awhile so he'll recognize me this way, too. I look-him-in-the-eye a lot--we're clicking just fine. (Ed. note: he doesn't
have his Adult Voice yet = he still goes 'peep, peep' even though he's almost as big as his parents!) They look for me all
the time and it's second-nature, now...
E.
===================================================
8/18/00
Just when I'm thinking Things Will Be Fine From Here On In I get this scenario:
It might rain today, so I
take the bus. And I'm scanning the Sidewalk and Grass Strip along the Rez and I see
JUVIE and Either POPPY or MAUDY
On Wrong Side Of Fence
The Other Adult is on the Inside of the fence and no one can figure out how to get the Family
back together... Nooooo...
I'm reluctant to call the US ACOE Washington Aqueduct people = I'm sure they think I'm
a Wacko... So, I'm thinking I'll try the DC Animal Shelter people. I called them a few times in years past, but they're so
overloaded with calls... I feel guilty calling... But, what the heck...
A gal named Sarah listened well (instead of
impatiently) and told me she'd try to get someone over there = "Thanks for not considering me a Goof." ...
So, much of
the workday goes by and I decide to call DC Animal Control and see if anything actually got done:
Sarah says: "Yes, Ted.
Officer Booser just called and said she got Both Of Them back in safely." "Really?! How'd she do that all by herself?" "Well,
she did it one-at-a-time and climbed onto the top of her truck and dropped them over the fence." "Oh, Really! That's amazing!
Please tell Officer Booser she saved some Very Good Friends Of Mine = I really appreciate it!"
Geez, Louise, that
worked out pretty good, didn't it?! Hopefully it won't happen again, but I can't even figure out how it happened this time...
Onward...
E. (TedEBoy)
=================================================
8/21/00
Lastly:
On
the way to Work, I'm looking for
POPPY, MAUDY and JUVIE
and they're not at the Usual Locations (neither at
Water's Edge nor Near The Fence). I do notice some Geese out at the Center Strip (a cement strip, parallel to MacArthur Blvd.,
that cuts the First Half of the Rez into two equal parts)--they appear to be Preening/Basking = fine, but these can't be My
Buddies... So, I make my way to the Center Gate and still no sign of Them. Oh well, I'll throw some bread over and see who
comes: a few Gulls, Crows, Starlings and Mallard Ducks. And I'm thinking that if the Geese On The Center Strip are P, M &
J they might not get here fast enough (they'd have to swim all they way--Juvie is still a Juvenal, probably can't Fly, yet)...
Well, I'll end our Year 2000 story here, because:
All Three Flew In = Juvie's learned how to Fly, now. They
work like a Team and all is well at the Rez = Daily Day Brighteners = Thanks, Kids = Yes, Life can be Beautiful...
E.
============================================
9/7/00
[Oops, sorry, the story isn't finished quite yet]
Addendum:
The weather has been unseasonably cool and rainy of late. So, I'm taking the bus to Work, mostly.
When I scan the Rez, I see no evidence of the resident C. Goose Flock. It appears they've taken a cue from Nature and are
gearing up for Migration. It's too early for that, of course, but they don't go by Calendars... On closer examination, however,
I notice there seems to be
ONE LONE GOOSE
hanging around each day. So, when the forecast is finally for no-rain,
I ride Bicycle to Work and stop off at the Center Gate. There are @ a dozen or so C. Geese nearby, but they are very stand-offish
(probably a Different Flock, just passing-through). With the exception of
ONE LONE GOOSE
who makes his way
to the Fence without much hesitation. I make no conclusions at this time, but it's a bit odd--all the others are timid (when
I throw bread over their way they act like I'm throwing projectiles at them). I'm a bit late for Work, so I move on...
The
next day (yesterday) is rainless, also, so I Bike to the Center Gate. The previous day's Flock is gone. But, the
ONE
LONE GOOSE
is nearby and he comes to the Fence posthaste. He appears to not be a full-grown Adult. And I'm getting
'vibes' from this One Loner (here comes that Birding term 'jizz', again--characteristics perceived, but difficult to explain.)
I'm talking to him as I'm pushing bread through the fence and he's doing this eye-contact/neck-gesture Thing--he looks me
straight-in-the-eye, pulls his neck and head inward and backward and does something akin to a Shudder. This is what Poppy
and/or Maudy would do from time to time. I interpret it as a Term Of Endearment--"Yes, Ted, we know you and like you." ...
So, I'm thinking this must be
JUVIE
Perhaps my Imagination is a bit too fecund, but I swear this is what Is.
I figure the Resident Flock geared-up and left the Rez, but Juvie didn't pick up on it correctly and got left behind... And,
now, I'm the only Friend he's got... Just call me 'Dad'...
Geez Louise, TBC (to be continued),
E.
======================================
9/9/00
JUVIE
I saw him again, today. All alone. He came to the Fence for awhile, but soon showed disinterest
and went down by the water. I got the distinct feeling that he feels Lost but doesn't know what to do... (Imagaination is
a powerful tool, no?)
E.
===============================================
9/10/00
On the way
to Work this AM. Once again, I find
JUVIE
not far from the Center Gate. He comes to the fence straightaway
and takes bread from my hand. And he does the "I like you" Shudder gestures.
There appear to be no other C. Geese at the
Rez, but after a few minutes I hear the honking of another Lone Goose. This one approaches without much hesitation. It's a
full-grown Adult. As this one is approaching, Juvie continues to eat bread but is now Grunting (he hasn't done this since
the Flock left him behind). I think he's glad there's another of his own Kind at the Rez. The Other Loner makes his way to
the bread and Juvie defers to him somewhat, but he doesn't give up his rights to the bread--they both partake and Juvie continues
Grunting. They both seem Happy... The Other Loner is definitely not Poppy nor Maudy, but he's not asserting any major domination
over Juvie. He's more like a Big Brother. And as I'm leaving I tell him/her, "I hope you can be a Buddy to Juvie. He needs
a C. Goose friend." "Bye, Juvie. Hang in there."
E.
==============================================
9/12/00
"Deja Vu all over again" (Yogi Berra):
JUVIE
at the Center Gate. But, this time there's a C. Goose
Couple who pick up on what's happening and they fly to the Water's Edge. Juvie's not Grunting. And the Adult Male is doing
a Territorial number on him, so he grabs some bread and moves away...
The Adult Couple are a bit shy, but they appear
to have done this routine before. They take some bread and move back a bit. Juvie sneaks some more. Then the Adult Male asserts
Territory and Juvie moves away...
The Other Loner of yesterday is not here. Juvie's essentially all alone, again.
As
I'm leaving, I tell him not to worry--I'll 'be there' for him, no matter what.
(Ed. note: I tell this story to Mary Anne
[the Boss' Wife] and she says if it gets really cold and snowy this Winter maybe 'we' should augment Juvie's diet, somehow
= she cares. Isn't that nice?)
E. (TedEBoy)
==============================================
9/21/00
There have been a few rainy days lately, so I haven't checked on
JUVIE
for awhile. I'd look for him
from the bus-window, but found no evidence. However, a couple of days ago I pull the Bike up to the Center Gate and I'm looking
for C. Geese and am ready to give up when I see Two CG's on the Far Side, slowly swimming their way towards me. I'm running
a little late that morning, so I'm a little impatient ("C'mon you guys, why don't you just Fly?"). I've been on my haunches,
squeezing bread through the fence for the Mallard Ducks. I decide I can't wait any longer, so I get up and grab the Bike.
And as soon as I do that the Two CG's decide to fly the rest of the way. So, I wait for them to make it to the Gate.
They're
a tad shy, but they come all the way up. The Female is quite small, yet the least shy. And as she comes to the Fence, I begin
to wonder: This Female CG looks and acts a lot like
JUVIE.
Now, wait a minute. Is it possible that I've been
quite wrong in assuming Juvie to be a Male CG? If so, this is a Great Discovery, then, because what we have here is
JUVIE
and POSSIBLE MATE
I don't have a lot of time to explore this further, but I'll be thinking about it...
Right,
that was a couple of days ago. Now, today, on the way to Work I find no CG's, and I'm running late again so I just heave a
bunch of bread over the fence and go to Work.
However, on the way Home from Work I notice quite a few CG's on the Center
Strip, so I stop at the Gate and start squeezing bread through and most all of those CG's get into the water and swim towards
me. And the Lead Couple makes its way to shore and to my bread and the Female comes straightaway...
And as she eats, she
Grunts and does little Neck Gestures... All right, I'm going to make a Conclusion, now:
JUVIE
is Female. And
she has a
BOYFRIEND!
These certainly seem to be the same Two CG's of a couple of days ago.
And, as
all the other CG's make their way to the Fence, JUVIE defers (moves away) like she has in the past...
Yes, and get
this:
All the others apper to be
THE ORIGINAL FLOCK
that left weeks ago. I say this because quite
a few are Juvenals and in-between Honks they still say 'Peep, Peep'! and there was no hesitation by any of the Others in coming
to the Fence.
It looks to me like the Whole Family is back together again and that's exactly what I was hoping for.
Well, Boy Howdy, make my day!
I'll monitor events of upcoming days, but it looks like I can finally put a 'wrap'
on this year's GT Rez story...
E.
====================================================
10/5/00
JUVIE
I've been 'tracking' Juvie all along and here's where I'm at:
--I'm convinced Juvie's a 'she', now;
--I'm
convinced she can't fly; and
--this 'Juvie' is probably not Poppy and Maudy's 'Juvie'
(that 'Juvie' most definitely
could fly--see earlier entry re: Juvie flying-in with Mom and Dad = yes!)
I see her pretty much every other day--all
alone. I thought she had a Boyfriend awhile back, but that was only one day.
Twice, I've come to the fence and she
seems to be nowhere, but if I wait awhile I can see her at the far, backside of the Rez and she swims the whole distance (but
comes straightaway to me and the bread). I've never seen her fly and I can't quite figure out why (she looks to be completely
'intact').
About two weeks ago
POPPY & MAUDY
returned to the Rez. They came to me straightaway.
And it was great to see them. Then, off to one side comes
JUVIE
and Im thinking, "All right! Family Reunion."
Well, not exactly: P & M won't let Juvie come to the bread. So she kind of circles-around and defers a lot. I have
to go to Work, so I leave by telling P & M they need to help this little one out. (They didn't--Juvie ends up all alone
again the next time I see her.)
So, the past two days have been very interesting:
Once again it looks like we've
got
JUVIE & BOYFRIEND
Both days, she's been the Leader--they swim in from the Center Strip and she comes
straight to me. The Dude is a bit wary, but follows Juvie's lead and eventually takes bread, too.
My apprehension is that
once the Dude finds out she can't fly, he'll leave her behind (which I assume is what happened with the Original Flock); but
then again, if they've truly Bonded, he'll stand by her, no matter what, right?
My hope is that he'll stay with her
and (who knows?) teach her how to fly. Hmm. We'll see.
(Ed. It looks like there'll be no 'wrap' to this story quite
yet...)
E.
=====================================
10/7/00
No sign of Juvie, as far as I can
tell. But, as I approach the Center Gate, I see @ a dozen CG's, sleeping (hunkered-down, heads curved back, beaks tucked under
feathers). The way the're lined-up (mostly in a straight line) makes me wish I had a Camera.
One or two notice me coming
and start Honking = everyone wakes up and starts maneuvering to the fence. So, who are these guys?
THE ORIGINAL REZ
2000 FLOCK
that's who.
POPPY AND MAUDY
are the Dominant Couple and get Priority Positioning for the
bread. The others do a bit of Sparring here and there, but I make sure that everyone gets bread. The Juvenals are full-grown,
but still say 'Peep, peep' (pretty funny). They no longer get preferential treatment, however--they have to earn their position
just like everyone else.
Too bad Juvie can't be part of this. If she truly can't fly, well, she's stuck... here. And
I'll have to look out for her, that's all. OK.
E. (Ted Boy)
======================================
10/16/00
I've checked the Rez every day since I last wrote and I've found no evidence of
JUVIE.
There were
days with no Geese/a few Geese/lots of Geese; but none with a Lone Goose = let's imagine this Ending to this year's story:
JUVIE'S SIGNIFICANT OTHER
somehow stimulated her to actually Fly and Off They Went Into The Sunset (which
rhymes with 'Unseth'--sort of).
Report Finalized. All is well at the Rez.
Ted E Boy
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