Friday, 23 December, 2016 - Van Cortlandt Park, western Bronx (N.Y.
City)
At about 4 pm (and from what I inferred from others on-scene, for some
hours before, but perhaps now & then moving off to the Van Cortlandt
lake, again??) on the Parade Grounds field adjacent to Broadway, north
of about West 246 Street, the Pink-footed Goose, in amongst over 300
(at 4 pm, but with many more coming in to the field to feed in the
next 30-40 minutes!) Canada Geese, were seen; there were up to 6
(end-of-day) observers present, myself one of them & staying to dusk,
the geese including the Pink-footed, staying out feeding on the Parade
Ground to well after sunset. We maintained some distance, &
restricted our movements; at times, when some non-birders chanced to
walk near the geese & got them nervous, the flock all pulled away,
walking just a modest distance from the human disturbance[s].
The goose flock here is shy and can be scared off, if approached too
quickly or too closely; if you go seeking this Pink-footed, please
keep a respectful distance (if any geese start to move off at your
approach, it means you are getting too close for them); It seems that
there may have been a time when some or much of the flock went from
the Van Cortlandt lake (which incidentally is a very short way to the
east-southeast of the Parade Ground, perhaps 50 yards away at the
nearest points, & not more than a 10 minute walk from the NW end of
that lake to the eastern edge of the Parade Ground field) - over to
the field, which is visible from Broadway, about opposite West 246-250
Streets - a very short way up (north of) the #1 subway's big elevated
terminal-station, the end of that line (final stop) in the Bronx. And
we know that the goose flocks may at first light, and sometimes for
hours after that, remain on the nearby lake (a golf course is at the
east side of the lake, away from the Parade Ground area, & there are
other portions of golf course greens in this very large city park).
These geese may (or may not) roost on the Van Cortlandt lake
overnight, and may come to feed on the Parade Ground at some point in
the day (which may or may not be early, based on some past goose
observations at this site). If one sees no geese at all on the field,
the lake is the next best bet - and a scope is very much useful, for
either area - & to avoid much walking about should the (Canada) goose
numbers be high - with high-quality optics, it may be posslble to have
good views thru around sunset or just after, according to the weather,
of course!
I've been informed that this Pink-footed Goose may be a first record
for Bronx County NY (if there is information & documentation to the
contrary, it would be of interest to some on this list-serve); Van
Cortlandt Park has shown potential to attract other goose species in
recent years such as Barnacle, Greater White-fronted, and Cackling, as
well as Snow - we would be delighted to have a Ross's join the geese
"on parade" (grounds)!
It may be added that in addition the #1 'local' subway line (if coming
from another borough or farther downtown, one MUST change at West 96th
& Braodway as the last possible switch from any express #2 or #3, to
the #1 Broadway local uptown, which can take 30 minutes from West 96th-
Broadway station, to the final stop of the #1 train, which is (uptown)
at 242 Street & Van Cortlandt Park in the west Bronx. Nearby
highways, & exits, include the Major Deegan Expwy - I-87 (NY State
Thruway) with the nearest exit being Van Cortlandt (Park) South, from
which exit one would go west a very short way to Broadway, and a right
up (north on) Broadway just a few blocks to past West 246 Street,
where parking can be had, sometimes easily, adjacent the Parade
Grounds field (and sometimes hard to find quick parking immediately) -
Another highway & exit with fast access to here is the Henry Hudson
Parkway, at the Broadway exit (in the Bronx!) from which: one goes
south a very short way on Broadway, again to near West 246-250
Streets, where any available parking will be immediately adjacent the
Parade Grounds of Van Cortlandt Park. (parking here in daytime is
generally safe, with the usual precautions to not leave valuables, &
certainly not in view, just as anywhere else; there is gas and food
nearby on Broadway, and there are restrooms - generally open - at the
far south side of the Parade Ground fields, in the nature center (NYC
Parks Dept) building, next to the manor (an historic house) - these
structures about 10 minutes or much less from the elevated subway
terminal, & Broadway (at 242 Street).
Good luck if you try, and please, please give the geese enough space
to feed (and not flush due to any birder's actions), thanks!
good birding & ongoing CBC-ing,
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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