Snow Geese

Snow Goose -- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO: 200, f/5, 1/1000s

I've tried to capture the power of the large flocks of geese that winter in the Central Valley in photos, but I've never been able to pull it off.  You have to experience it for yourself.  It's visual.  It's sonic.  It hits a person in a primal way.

Inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun, image #7514.

Founding Fathers

Snow Goose -- Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5.6, 1/1600s. ISO: 1250

Here's another picture from this weekend that I find amusing.  This one is all in my head.  At first, this reminded me of the painting of the delegates signing the Declaration of Independence.  I know that's a real stretch, but that's what I saw.  Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin on the right, that's probably John Hancock up there ready to sign.

I know, I know, that's a stretch.  That's what I saw when when I processed the image this weekend.  I told you, it's all in my head.

Today I'm seeing the geese on the right as the king and queen receiving tribute from their subjects.  The king and queen of Colusa.

Still a stretch, right?

Well, I guess Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin are on the left.  I don't know who that is on the right.

Synchronized Swimming

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO: 1600, f/5.6, 1/1600s

I'm not sure what these geese were up to.  They kept tilting their heads to the side.  This shot reminded me of Olympic synchronized swimmers.  Silly geese.

Geese Darken the Sky

Snow & Ross' Geese -- Sacramento National Wildlfe Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, f/5, 1/1000s, ISO: 125

I've heard there used to be so many geese and ducks in the Central Valley that they would darken the sky.  That's easy to imagine at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.  If you're in the right place at the right time you might even experience it.

'atsa lotta birds!

Merced National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i. EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/800s, f/5.0, ISO:100

Hundreds, probably thousands, of snow geese in flight like this can make a hell of a racket.  It's something incredible to witness in person.While they were doing their thing on the left side of the car on Saturday sandhill cranes were whooping up a storm of their own on the right side of the car.  Pongo lost interest in both sets of birds when he saw the little cottontail rabbit about ten feet away from his side of the car.

Some moments are absolute magic.

Coming in for a Landing

Greater White-fronted Goose -- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 500

I like this picture for a couple of reasons.  First, these geese look a little awkward descending for a landing, which I find amusing.  Most birds know how to make landing effortless.  Not so with geese, though, they sometimes look like they've never actually done it before.  Second, all the birds in the background give an indication to how crowded this refuge can get.  In fact, anyone who has been to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge in the winter can vouch for the fact that the population in the photo is actually sparse.  This photo was taken in the middle of the day.  I think a good percentage of the birds were out foraging for food.

To be fair, this was a tricky landing these geese were making.  For whatever reason they decided to plop themselves right down into a group of snow geese.  I think I'd have been annoyed if I was one of the geese on the ground given all the open water available to the incoming geese.  Silly birds.

Snow Geese & Friends

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II, 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO: 320

I stopped at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge on my way up to Oregon this weekend.  It's always more fun to go here with Pongo because he enjoys seeing all the wildlife as much as I do, but this was not a good trip to bring him along.  Just as well, my parents were cat sitting my sister's two new kittens.  Pongo and kittens would not be a good mix.

I think I hit the refuge at a bad time of day.  There were plenty of birds to see, but I've seen the refuge packed a lot tighter with birds than on this particular day.