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
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.
“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
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
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
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
Noisy strings of geese making their way across the farm fields of Northwest Tennessee.
“One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw is the spring.” ~Aldo Leopold
walking on a country road 