We seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Canada goose, don't we?
They are quite magnificent looking birds. I especially enjoy them when in a
V-shaped loud honking flyover above the garden at dusk. . . . . knowing they
are heading home to their pond. Whereas, when grounded in our parks,
ponds and local gardens, I must agree they are extremely mucky pests.
Having become non-migratory, their numbers have increased to thousands
in my area of North Carolina.
Extremely successful at living in human-altered areas, Canada geese have proven able to establish breeding colonies in urban and cultivated areas, which provide food and few natural predators, and are well known as a common park species. Their success has led to them sometimes being considered a pest species because of their depredation of crops and issues with their noise, droppings, and habit of begging for food, especially in their introduced range. via Wikipedia
Only a dozen geese were hanging out at the pond Saturday afternoon, along with
two pairs of Mallards. They seemed to get along fine together - there was no bickering
or pecking, just quiet sharing of the open water for resting or swimming, and preening
on, or sliding about on the more stable icy parts of the pond. They mostly ignored me
when I managed to get down close to the bank, no begging for food or honking.
Reflections in the cold water were interesting. . . . . . .
. . . . . impressionist style paintings came to mind.
Have you taken an interesting winter walk this month?
Do you tuck a camera in your pocket when walking?
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Fabulous reflections and photos. I haven't taken a walk recently - have been fighting off a miserable cold and cough - but when I do go out my cameras always go with me.
ReplyDeleteWe live right by the Mississippi River and when out for a walk the geese fly over-head towards the water. It has been fun watching them head south for the winter. Some, I'm not sure why, stay back. I wonder if it is because they were born here. It's an awfully cold winter for them. Love your photos, Mary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting photo's taken during your walk. There was a photo in our local newspaper yesterday, the caption below it referred to a "skein" of geese coming in for a landing. Never heard that word used in that way. You?
ReplyDeletePatricia
Dear Mary, so many beautiful photographs you are sharing with us. We have hundreds of geese on our pond and they are well behaved...for now. Slowly and in small groups they are leaving for their winter home.
ReplyDeleteLovely reflections indeed. Beautiful photos! Have a good day. Tammy
ReplyDeleteMary, these photos are so beautiful! Yes, the goose is a nuisance in many areas even here in Canada! They are so 'dirty'. I haven't been for a winter walk as it's been too cold. There is a sledding party at the apple orchard at the end of the month again, so I hope to go to that and will definitely take my camera. (I won't be sledding!) Thanks for sharing your beautiful walk with us this week.
ReplyDeleteThey are incredibly noisy aren't they?! The walks I have been on have been a bit blowy but I don't mind as long as there is a blue sky. I am looking for a small camera to slot into my pocket at the moment, my little Pixie camera (my part time camera) just isn't giving me enough detail (it's either that or my eyes!). Have a wonderful week x
ReplyDeleteYes, I try to always remember to have my camera in my pocket when walking. It is very hot and humid here at the moment so walking is best done near dark. We never get the really cold weather you get, so see quite different things.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos as always. Hugs from NZ.
Canada Geese are not very well loved in our corner of Canada. They mess up beaches and golf courses. I do enjoy seeing them fly overhead in their wide V formations, honking in the autumn. Your photos are wonderful - we went on a winter walk on Sunday but there was no sunshine at all. I hope you get many more wonderful winter walks this year.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are wonderful...nearly all our tiny ponds and little park lakes are filled with these magnificent birds...honking and flying all over the place...love them.
ReplyDeleteMy biscuit recipe is under RECIPES tab at the top of my blog...the secret to a light fluffy biscuit is to have your dough very very soft..wet, really, so that you must flour your hands to handle it. It;s when your dough is too dry that you have a dry biscuit....I hope you make them...and love them. :)
Thank you for your sweet comment over at Nancy's A Joyful Cottage. These photographs are stunning. xoxo
ReplyDeleteIntrigued by these photos Mary. Love the sharp backgrounds, how have you achieved that without sharpening the birds.
ReplyDeleteIs it a special programme, if so what did you do, sharpen the whole image and transpose the birds?
Makes the water look like silk or molten lead. Love it.
Must try and replicate when I have the energy.
Love you.
JJ
Dearest Jean - will e-mail you and tell you how! Very simple editing - only used PicMonkey a bit!
DeleteHope your energy returns very soon - I worry about you and look forward to coming over to see you this year.
Remember, you are my almost oldest, dearest friend at home, I always love to spend time with you.
Love, Mary
What fantastic shots! I used to work at a college that had two ponds, and the Canadian geese would become nuisances there. They would bring in specially trained dogs to run them off.
ReplyDeleteMary, Your photos are beautiful! I love to be outside when the geese fly overhead toward a nearby pond. Duck hunting is huge in this area. The hunters are allowed to kill a certain number of geese a day during duck season. I hope you are having a grand week. Bonnie
ReplyDeleteI love winter walks with my camera, though so far I am staying close to home. Hoping to get out more in February.
ReplyDeleteYour photos with the reflections on the water are just wonderfully beautiful.
Loved the photos and information on the Canada Goose. The water is beautiful!
ReplyDelete