Monday, 26 December, 2016 - Van Cortlandt Park, western Bronx (N.Y.
City)
A Pink-footed Goose was again on the Parade Grounds field adjacent to
Broadway (which is north of about West 246 Street), on Monday, and was
of course available for those counting at that site for the 12/26
Bronx-Westchester CBC; these notes to confirm to this list that the
bird was present;
with perhaps well over 1,000 Canada Geese by 4 pm, with more geese
having come back in to the field to feed in the afternoon; Snow &
(Richardson's) Cackling Geese, were also seen; there were up to 4
(end-of-day) observers present, myself one of them & staying to dusk,
many geese including the Pink-footed staying out feeding on the Parade
Ground to well after sunset. We maintained 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 disturbances as has happened perhaps
each day with the larger goose flocks here.
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);
There may be times when some or much of the flock stays on 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) - the geese may be
most-likely on the lake in the first hours of morning, but any could
be there at other hours as well.
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, according to the weather, of course!
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)! The Pink-footed Goose apparently is a
first record for that park and for Bronx County.
It may be added that the #1 'local' subway line (if coming from
another borough or farther downtown, one MUST change at West 96th &
Broadway 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. 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).
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 available nearby on Broadway in either direction. The NYC-
Yonkers city lines are very nearby to the north - just up Broadway.
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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