Deluge on the Charles River, extreme cold, and thanks to Gov. Healey.
1. Introduction.
2. The Charles River White Geese in Winter.
A. Bad weather protection.
B. The Charles River White Geese on Thursday.
C. Sickness as Usual in Cambridge.
3. Thank you Governor Healey.
4. Sources.
A. Destruction of hundreds of trees outrage by DCR and Cambridge between the BU and Longfellow Bridges.
B. Letter received by Governor Healey.
1. Introduction.
On Thursday, I visited the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese.
The Charles River White Geese had gone from the second heaviest deluge in history to a very cold day.
I only saw about half the geese I expected. So I anticipate the rest were on the river looking for food, and taking advantage of the warmer temperature of water.
I was very pleased on entering the DNA to see a great improvement at the entrance, for which I thank Governor Healey.
2. The Charles River White Geese in Winter.
A. Bad weather protection.
Last weekend, we had the second largest deluge ever. Flooding occurred in sensitive rivers, but I was not seriously concerned about the Charles River White Geese. They have a bay near their nesting area which is well protected to which they go during extreme conditions. It is below the Wild Area on the far side of the Grand Junction railroad THIS LOCATION IS NOW SUBJECT TO THREATS BY THE DCR / CAMBRIDGE.
When it is extremely cold, in particular, there are many Canadas in the DNA (Destroyed Nesting Area) and no Charles River White Geese. The Charles River White Geese are in the nearby bay. Here is a photo from years past. The Massachusetts Dept. of Cons. & Rec.’s plans show one tree NOT BEING DESTROYED in the Wild Area, through which this photo was taken.
B. The Charles River White Geese on Thursday.
The remaining portion of the gaggle were under large trees near the water on the BU Bridge side of the DNA. In the background is the Grand Junction railroad bridge and the hill in the DNA supporting the tracks.
The Geese with large black spots are descendants of either Toulouse Geese who were dumped at Magazine Beach in 2006 or so, or White Geese with vestigial markings. In either case, the offspring from mating with the rest of the gaggle frequently have these combination markings.
Brown Beauty, a female goose, stands out in my memory. A daughter of the assassinated leader of the gaggle, Bumpy, she was hatched before 2000, 1996 stands out in my mind for some reason. There has been a male that I am aware of since then with vestigial markings as well.
The bare ground has commonly been created by nuts working in support of the DCR with a shared contempt for ground vegetation.
Here is a view in the other direction showing the very close BU Bridge.
During repairs on the BU Bridge in 2010 or so, a strip of about 50 feet was needed for repair access.
And here is a view standing away. This small area is a rare area which has not seen destruction by the DCR / its friends,
C. Sickness as Usual in Cambridge.
As part of the sick situation in Cambridge, CAMBRIDGE just destroyed ”eight fine healthy locus trees” in the heart of Central Square, and, as on the Charles, lies of environmental sainthood are normal from the Cambridge City Council.
The pols create “plans” which CAREFULLY EXEMPT WHAT THEY WANT DESTROYED. I do not know if the bureaucrats bothered with the supposed “protections.”
Citizen “reviews” commonly amount to sales pitches.
Cambridge has received multiple “Tree City USA” Awards. The applications brag of plantings BUT KEEP SECRET THE EXCELLENT TREES NEEDLESSLY DESTROYED that the bragged about plantings are “replacing.”
Central Square is business as usual.
3. Thank you Governor Healey.
I was pleased to see the entrance to the DNA in the corner next to the BU Bridge and its rotary under Memorial Drive.
I complained of the starvation blockade of this entrance at pages 34 and 35 of the letter the governor received. The nesting area is to the right. Almost all food has been destroyed in the nesting area. The luscious, LAST REMAINING FOOD is straight ahead.
Straight ahead is the ramp from the BU Bridge to Memorial Drive heading east. The Charles River White Geese CAREFULLY stand on the sidewalk straight ahead and wait for traffic to clear before carefully crossing. Drivers who come along sit and wait with smiles for the geese to get to their food.
Here are photos from the past. The DCR learned, horrors, that the Charles River White Geese were actually getting food in spite of their starvation attempts.
Here are two photos. The obstacles are placed fully blocking transit. People move them to get in. The ability to get food varies with the amount of moving done by the public.
Hopefully, the entrance will remain unobstructed.
4. Sources.
A. Destruction of hundreds of trees outrage by DCR and Cambridge between the BU and Longfellow Bridges.
Video, “Memorial Drive Destruction, Final Cut,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTplCCEJP7o.
B. Letter received by Governor Healey.
https://cambridgema.iqm2.com/citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=3903&Inline=True
Pages 2654 to 2713, Communication 177, City Council, 6/26/23.
At the direction of Governor Healey’s representative, electronic masters of this document were provided to a person at the DCR. Those electronic masters are available and will be provided to interested folks.
A caveat, this is 50 pages very heavily filled with photos. The files are large and require multiple sendings. Files originally attempted to be provided in accordance with Governor Healey’s wishes had to be further split to get into the state computers. Contract us at boblat@yahoo.com.
