snow geese

High in the Sky

/ Rebecca / 18 Comments

I was at home, going about my usual routine, when I heard a commotion outside. At first, I tried to ignore it, but the clamor continued. Curious, I looked out the front window and was thrilled to see long strings of Snow geese soaring high in the sky over the fields adjacent to my house. What an amazing sight! Occasionally, we drive for an hour or more just to see these beautiful birds. Apparently, sometimes you go looking for them, and sometimes, they come right to you.

Below is a small segment of the geese that passed overhead.

“Here again, I saw life in all its noisy excitement passing by me.” ~Arthur Golden

Watching the Snow Geese

/ Rebecca / 30 Comments

We are fortunate to have snow geese wintering in our area.  They enjoy feeding on kernels of corn that have been left behind in harvested fields.

Snow geese in the fields …

taking to the air …

in the air …

and taking off in simultaneous flight.

“What captivated me was they sounded of wild places and the Arctic. That was probably the moment that got them into my soul.” ~Andy Bloomfield

A Pleasant Surprise

/ Rebecca / 10 Comments

Part of the fun of taking a nature walk is that you never know what you’re going to see. Encounters with nature, no matter how small, are blessings to be enjoyed and appreciated.

A bluebird sitting on the branch of a tree.
A meadowlark rummaging on a hillside for insects.
Numerous vultures huddled together in a tree top.
A Green frog sunning itself on a muddy embankment.
Deer grazing at the edge of the woods.
A Carolina wren flitting from tree to tree in the woods.
A flock of snow geese foraging in a local farm field.
A muskrat nibbling greenery beside a lake road.

“Unexpected and pleasant surprises occur every day … We will notice if we look. We will see good sprinkled liberally over every day if we are open.” ~Steve Goodier

A Memorable Sound

/ Rebecca / 17 Comments

At this time of the year, we have learned to keep an eye out for the Snow Geese in open fields near the Mississippi River.  On this day, we found a large group of Snow Geese, mixed with other species of geese and some ducks, out grazing for food.  The sound that they make as they move about the field reminds me of a room full of ladies all talking and laughing at the same time.  But even more memorable is the sound that a startled flock makes when it shoots off the ground simultaneously.  The wave of flapping wings and loud, high pitched squawks echo as the frenzied birds soar skyward.

“If you want to live a memorable life, you have to be the kind of person who remembers to remember.”  ~Joshua Foer

 

Stirring up the Snow Geese

/ Rebecca / 21 Comments

While driving the back roads along the Mississippi levee, we came upon a flock of snow geese scavenging waste corn out in a farm field.  What a lovely sight they were when they became agitated and a frenzy of white bodies took to the sky. The whir of their wings as they shot off the ground, followed by a multitude of loud shrill cries, are sounds that will long be remembered.

“Nature was here a series of wonders, and a fund of delight.”  ~Daniel Boone

Stirring up the Snow Geese

/ Rebecca / 13 Comments

The Snow Geese are back at Reelfoot Lake, and the Bald eagles are keeping an eye on them in hopes of acquiring an easy meal.  Whenever a lookout detects a threat from an eagle, a call goes out to the rest of the flock, and the Snow Geese take flight.

“If you feel the urge, don’t be afraid to go on a wild goose chase.  What do you think wild geese are for anyway?”  ~Will Rogers