Middle Creek in Flight

The Middle Creek Snow Goose migration is now a memory but I still have a few images to share from our morning.  I captured this image during the morning lift-off.  The sun was still low in the sky partially lighting the undersides of the geese's wings.

Snow geese circling the preparing to land

A large flock of a few thousand geese gathered in a field along the roadside.  Photographers and observers gathered as well watching the incredible drama unfold.  I have read how difficult these birds are to hunt as they do not decoy well and spook easily when they notice the least thing amiss.  Perhaps that is so but in this spot the birds amassed without concern of the onlookers gathered nearby.  Did they know they were in a protected zone?  Probably so.  I have also read where the average age of the geese is about eight years so I would guess that that is plenty of time for them to learn where the safe spots lie along their journey.

Lift-off

At one point about half of the flock lifted off, circled around, landing in a different part of the field to resume their feeding.  No photograph can do justice to the incredible sight of so many large flying birds in such close proximity.  I shot with both cameras using the 24-105mm on one and the 100-400mm on the other.  This shot with the 100-400mm shot at 400mm is my favorite.

Snow Geese are not the only attraction of Middle Creek as this Canada Goose demonstrates making an early morning fly-over.