The Last Light of Day

 

Two Canada geese glide in perfect rhythm across a glowing sunset sky.

Generally, life is good.

The Moment After Triumph

Perhaps this story begins just after the mating was over. Success was obvious. The male Canada Goose spread his wings wide, as if celebrating the moment.

The male Canada Goose looked magnificent—strong, proud, and unmistakably happy.

Mating almost always happens on the water.

The female lowers her body slightly, and the male climbs onto her back while balancing with his wings.

This is post-copulation moment. 

The male Canada goose opened his beak and stretched neck calling loudly. After mating, males often give a strong series of honks.  He is announcing the successful mating and warning nearby geese to keep their distance.

Generally, life is good.

On the Wings - II.

Canada Geese.

Snowy Egret.

Forster's Tern.

American White Pelican.

Generally, life is good.

Obedience

 

I always marveled at mother duck's ability to disciplined her brood but learned recently that ducklings fall in line not out of choice but instinct.

About 13 hours after they have pecked their way out of eggshells, goslings "tune in" to the world around them.  During the next few hours, they become fixated on the first large moving object.  In the wild this is usually their mother and goslings will follow her obediently.

Generally, life is good.

Goslings - I.

 

Last week I came across a family of Canada Geese and their seven goslings in our local Beau park. 

At first they all looked the same, but the longer I stayed with them, the more I saw how different they were.

Some of goslings were smaller and weaker.  Sometimes they lost their balance and fell, others were bigger and stronger.  

This gosling is taking a short rest.  Soon it will join its parents and siblings for a swim.

It's so nice and safe to be together.

I hope that all goslings will survive first year and become strong birds.  I wish them all good health and long life.

Life goes on.  

Mating Season is Around the Corner

 

In February I noticed that Canada Geese were starting to form pairs. The courtship of Canada Geese is quiet  peculiar, they stretch their necks high in the air, bobbing their heads, flap their wings and make honking sounds. 

You can see how the male Canada Goose is stretching his neck high in the air, he is very loudly showing his strength and agility to the female.

Eventually, the female began to respond to the courtship invitation.

Canada Geese usually stay together for life. If one member of the pair dies the other goose will mourn for a long period of time.  A young goose that mates during the first year and loses its mate may choose another mate within the same breeding season.

Life goes on.

Canada Geese in Flight

Winter is beautiful in its own way; foggy early mornings, sleepy trees, lazy sun often hiding behind clouds, endless snow-covered fields and geese flying high in the sky. 

Life goes on.

Winged and Powerful

I love to photograph Canada Geese especially when they are flapping their wings.  It's in these unforgettable moments that I understand better than ever how powerful these birds are.

Once a year, usually when the weather warms up, Canada geese molt their feathers and cannot fly for six weeks.  During this time they will be very vulnerable to coyotes, foxes and raccoons. 

A single Canada Geese has about 20,000 feathers which are uniquely designed to help a goose to fly, shed water or display distinctive markings.

The top and bottom of the wings are of different colors, which allows them to camouflage themselves from predators.

Life goes on.

Ice Dancing. "Free" Program

Ice dancing took place this morning at Beau Pond.  Performers were two Canada Geese.  The spectators were the local ducks and me.  There were also two geese as referees.   

As a photographer,  I tried to capture the dance as best I could and almost succeeded.  

At the beginning of the "free" program, the performer on the right began the dance with slow, graceful movements.

This is an invitation to dance.

 

The invitation to dance was accepted.  

The first referee carefully observes the dynamic dancers.  

 

The dancers perform a "toe loop" just before charging forward at full speed.

 

Second referee in the final.  After a few seconds the dance will be over and performers will take a long break.

***

The idea for this fun ice dance came about after I looked at many photos of Canada geese taken this morning and thought why not create something funny.

Life goes on.

December Sketches - II. Canada Geese

They appeared from nowhere, heading south, and I had only a few seconds to decide how to photograph them.   

Luckily, I forgot to change my camera settings which were set for overexposure,  and accidentally ended up with a high key minimalistic photo.  To my surprise, I liked the result.

Canada Geese flew past this reservoir where later in winter some brave people will fish on the ice.

Life goes on.

Canada Geese Are Defending Their Territory. The Finale

 

The Canada Geese alternated their aggressive behavior with the short pauses of truce. When it was happening I also was taking a pause walking one loop around our local pond. 

If from Great Blue Herons I have learned how to be patient, Canada Geese that day taught me a lesson about the importance of a pause, even a brief one.

Generally, life is good!

A Female Canada Goose and Her Goslings

 

So roughly how many goslings in this family will make into adulthood?  It's hard to say.  A female will guard her goslings and feed them.  A male will accompany his family and help a lot to raise the young ones.

It takes 50-70 days for goslings to attain flight status and during these days they will be very vulnerable to prey.

I wish this family that its goslings will stay healthy and enter into adulthood as powerful as their parents.

Generally, life is good!

Canada Geese Are Defending Their Territory

A few days ago I had an opportunity to photograph the aggressive behavior of Canada geese on our local pond.  They were chasing each other and even fighting. 

Canada geese have well defined and defended territories and extremely  defensive of them, their mates and nests during nesting season.

Thus, on the photo above a Canada Goose is trying to escape from an attacker. 

Sometimes chasing looked like a noisy marathon.

Generally, life is good!

A Mating Season - I. Canada Geese After Mating

These large geese are very impressive, especially during their mating rituals. They are monogamous and form extremely stable pair bonds for the rest of their lives, divorces are very rare.

The amorous pair on the photo above put on quiet a show after a mating took place.  The male was very enthusiastic celebrating that the female chose him. 

The male is very proud, he still continues to display how powerful he is.

It seemed that each bird celebrated their successful mating in its own way - the male with enthusiastic wing-flap while a female was preparing to bath.

Generally, life is good!

Elegant and Not So Elegant Landings

 

Actually there is no such a thing like elegant landing but watching for a while ducks and geese doing it I came to conclusion that female Mallard ducks are often very precise, cautious and elegant in their landing.  

Canada Goose landed on the water rather awkwardly and aggressively, but that's understandable. Before landing, he was chasing another goose and was still in a chasing mood.

 This Male Mallard Duck looks a little funny while landing, doesn't it?

I love to watch landings with a lot of splashes of water everywhere. I find this landing chaotic and beautiful.

Hey, you are on my way.  Give me some space.

During landing a bird has to reduce speed, cancel lift and ultimately come to a stop. As you noticed just prior to touchdown a bird is raising the front of its wings. 

Generally, life is good!

A Fight

 

It was hard to tell if it was a fight or if it was possible that one of geese was trying to mate.  I am more inclined to think that this was a fight over the territory as the nesting season is approaching and geese become very aggressive about their territory.

Generally, life is good!

 

Just Experimenting

 

A wonderful late evening. The setting sun is about go over the horizon.  And Tundra Swans, so unattainable and beautiful.  

At some point, I decide that I will photograph Tundra swans no matter what. Of course, they will be tiny and ducks too but does it really matter?  Let everything be as it is!

And if everything is as it is, then let the Canada geese hide behind the tall grass.  

Generally, life is good!