[concerned about politics]

This being the fall, a flock of geese or other migratory birds could well have crossed the path of that flight.

I'm from Upstate, and the geese are long gone.
I've seen sea gulls though. They were begging for french fries at McDonalds.

[Ditto]

I'm from Upstate, and the geese are long gone.

And Rockaway being along the coast is a lot warmer than upstate. The birds could well be hanging out there on their way south. I live in Pittsburgh, and we still have geese in the area. Many of them hang along the rivers till it gets colder here. Some even stay all winter.