Although I didn’t see a single new bird at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, it was definitely the climax of my two-week trip. The sheer number of birds impressed me, particularly the number of geese. Not only were there large numbers of Canada geese, but also large numbers of Greater White-fronted Geese and Snow Geese.
It seemed impossible to point your camera anywhere there was water and not see hundreds of geese, Canada Geese, Greater-White Fronted Geese, Snow Geese. At first it seemed impossible to actually isolate a single species, much less a single subject.
But if you looked long enough you soon realized that the old adage “birds of a feather flock together” became an adage for a reason. Although there were islands where species mixed, generally they separated in open water.
Since I generally see a single Snow Goose accompanying a flock of Canada geese, I focused on the snow geese while there,
and quickly learned just how little I know about the Snow Goose species. I’ve only seen adult Snow Geese before and didn’t recognize the immature geese when I first saw them. I was even more confused by the older birds that weren’t white. A little online research revealed that there is a darker morph, previously called Blue Geese, and intermediates.
It took a while to get pictures of geese that weren’t part of these huge flocks, but it was possible to find a few off feeding by themselves:
Considering the gunshots in the distance, I tried hard to avoid disturbing the birds while driving around the refuge but it was impossible to drive down the road, no matter how slowly, without spooking ducks and geese
that spooked other birds
until the sky was full of birds, and the air filled with the raucous honking of thousands of skittish geese all crying DANGER!!! DANGER!!!
What wonderful sights and sounds! Your writing makes them seem to come alive. Thanks!
Thanks, Paul, I have to write something to separate the photos or they looked cramped.
Loren, have you seen the snow owl/s at the Nisqually? Saw it on the tv news. They had a few photos. Nice of Whatcom Co. to share. kjm
Not yet, though I hope to go down there the next time we get a “sunny” day, or partially sunny day.
They’ve actually been spotted at Ocean Shores, too.