Canada Geese in the Air

We have a lot of Canada Geese in the area now.  I think that a lot of these geese are migrating from up North.  Some will stay here for the Winter and quite a few will move on South and to the Southwest and Southeast a bit.  We have a lot of ponds, and lakes in our neighborhood and general community here in Cumberland County, Tennessee.  In the greater region we also have several very large rivers.  All this water is a big attraction for having Canada Geese.  We additionally have a lot of golf courses and cattle pastures around where the geese can graze on the grass.

Geese eat grasses, seeds, and certain aquatic plants.  These geese can be heard in flight for a long way off.  This was helpful in my getting these pictures.  I took these pictures in my yard on Sept. 15, 2012 and again on Sept. 16, 2012.    Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Twilight Flight

The Canada Geese in flight are wonderful to see.  I took these pictures last evening at sunset.  There were three groups of the geese flying over my house here.  We have a few lakes and several ponds in the area so there are many spots where the flocks could land.  Several of these geese likely are residents around here , but I imagine that one or more of the groups are newcomers who are migrating.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Flying Waterfowl, Part 2: Canada Geese

Yesterday at about 4:50 in the afternoon I saw a trio of Canada Geese fly over the pond.  Two touched down on the opposite shoreline in the cattle pasture and one splashed down in the pond.  The Canada Geese are here daily.  They come and go noisily.  It is easier to take pictures of flying geese then it is to take pictures of ducks in flight.  The geese are noisy with their guide honking and are large fairly slow targets for the camera.  There are usually about fifteen or so geese around here but I have occasionally seen upwards of thirty over on the other shoreline in that cow pasture and on the water in the pond.  I took these pictures yesterday (3/18/12) in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Flock in Flight

A bunch of the Canada Geese here were out on the cow pasture that our neighbor farmer has across the pond here.  The geese grazed  on tender new grass.  Along came the farmer in his truck to do some work near the barn which is fairly close to the pond.  The geese just could not bear the thought of a truck coming their direction, even if not very close to the area where they were feeding.  Off they flew!  I have never seen such a large number of geese take wing all at the same time so close to where I was at.  I was out taking pictures and of course, took photographs of the geese flying off.  This was unusual for me to see.  Perhaps the geese are not residents here or maybe it is just a breeding season thing.  I think that the flock just hopped over to the nearby lake to calm down.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.

Flight of the Geese

Canada Geese visit the little farm pond on an almost daily basis.  They fly between the nearby private community lake and the pond.  There are about eight other farm ponds within a mile of my home so there are many places for the geese to visit.  No doubt also, there are likely several flocks of these lovely geese.  The Canada Geese are year-around residents here in Cumberland County, Tennessee.  We are blessed with many lakes, ponds, and a number of small streams here in the county.

Canada Geese eat grass, bulbs, seeds, and plants.  They love to browse the shoreline of the pond here for tender new shoots of cattail reeds, rushes, and of course, grass.  They also dip down into the shallow water for tasty aquatic plants.  Recently, my husband has told me that he saw several of the Canada Geese way up away from the pond and in the area where we plan to have a vegetable garden.  It looks like a fence will be needed to keep the critters out of the garden.  I took these pictures in recent days in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Graceful Geese

Canada Geese live both here on the little farm pond and on the nearby private community lake.  They often cruise between the two areas so I get to witness their graceful, if quite noisy, flight.  The Canada Geese are plant and seed-eating birds.  They love eating tender new grass.  The shorelines of the pond here are basically full of pasture grasses.  This is like a grocery store for the geese.  I really enjoy seeing the geese fly.

The leader is important to the flock.  The lead goose makes sure the flock stays on course.  The distance between the two bodies of water here is very close, so the geese sometimes don’t  fly in a strict “V” formation.  There still is a “pecking order” though.  The dominant goose leads and the next dominate is close behind.  The last goose also is a sort of look-out for the flock.  I am happy to have photographed the geese in flight.  I took these pictures on Jan. 29, 2012 and again on Feb. 2, 2012 in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Canada Geese Take Wing on the Lake

I live just up a small hill from a little private community lake.  The small flock of Canada Geese that lives in the neighborhood often goes back and forth from the pond here to the lake.  The geese also fly around that little lake at various times of the day.  Yesterday and on Sunday, I was out on my driveway taking pictures of the geese flying on the lake down the hill.  I am also including a shot of the lake as viewed from my driveway.  I likely only will have a Winter view of the lake from my house due to the many trees.  The view is quite pretty in all types of weather.  One of the neat things about this little lake is that there is a tiny, well-treed island that is visible from my driveway.   The geese and I both like the lake a lot!  I don’t have access to use the lake but do enjoy the nice view.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Wild Goose Chase!

Yes, literally, a wild goose chase happened on the lake on Sunday, April 24, 2011.  The three Canada Geese were upset or territorial and were honking to beat the band.  First there was the honking and then the geese started to paddle-fly skimming the surface with their feet touching the water.  Next, they took off, and the short chases were on.  I think that two of the three geese were males with the third a female.  Just pure speculation.  After a lot of short several yard-long flights all calmed down as if the whole thing had not happened.

The other possibility with this agitated behavior, is that there was just some sort of general upset or squabble.  In any event, it was an interesting little scene to witness and take pictures of.  Very dramatic pictures but no injuries to the geese.  I’m showing you only a part of the entire episode but these shots show the action.  The entire chase was pretty brief.  The geese here are nesting.  There is a hen sitting on her clutch of eggs just at the very shoreline next door.  I am very careful to stay far away.  In several days, we may see newborn Canada Goslings here.  I will bring those pictures to you when I start seeing the babies on the lake.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!