One of the most haunting and evocative sounds I’ve ever heard is the geese as they make their way north, then south, and then north again. It was once the very sound of fall and spring; now, it comes at odd times, like February.
The geese are one of the reasons I fell in love with the country. They are the royalty of the skies up here, more haunting even than the hawks and eagles. They have awe-inspiring purpose and mission. They struggle against humans, the wind, the storms, and the predators. They prevail. They sleep on ponds at night, even in the cold, to protect them from coyotes, foxes, and bears.
Home is constantly changing for them, except when they follow, they are always on the way somewhere. Their habitats and nesting places vanish as greedy and insatiable humans take everything for themselves and leave the animals little or nothing.
The geese are heading north to nest, have their offspring, find their springs, creeks, and pastures, and spend a season. When they are moving, as they are today, they can be hypnotic, the way they stay together, the way they change leaders, the way they know where they are going. Two land in our pond every Spring and have a gosling or two.
The dogs try to chase them away, but they stand their ground, honking and flapping. The dogs give up. They’ve met their match.
Sometimes they sway back and forth in the wind, gathering their strength to stay together; they are rarely blown apart. Sometimes, if it’s a quiet day, I can hear their wings flapping back and forth; nature is an unfathomable, mysterious, and beautiful thing, and the strength and determination of the geese are uplifting, nothing less than magic.
I’ve always wanted to capture the beautiful movement of the geese as they fly overhead, singing their eerie and magical song. I never managed to do it. This is another effort.
They came all afternoon, and I ran around to catch them and their feelings. Here are six pictures; I hope they give you the magic and the mystery they bring to me. All of the photos were taken with my Leica 3.
These pictures were taken this afternoon as the geese – flock after flock – flew over Bedlam Farm on their way north. My neck hurt from looking up; I got dizzy from turning around. Come and see. It was hypnotic.
They came all day and are coming still – I can hear their song over my head as I sit in my study, it is dark outside, but they always know where to go, any time of day.
A strong wind came up – we are getting a storm tonight, and the gusts sometimes scattered the geese but never blew them apart.
I can’t imagine how they stay together in such beautiful and artistic formations. They make beautiful art in the sky. They make their own painting.
As dusk came, a long and graceful flock flew over the pasture, the longest of the day; this formation was blown, I think, into a straight line, not a V. They kept coming and coming, each locked somehow into the others, everyone heading in the same place.
Here on the south shore of Lake Ontario I am also privileged to have. the geese flying over. . . just magical.
I am also fascinated by the journeys of the geese. I love to hear them honking and look up to see them in formation. Great photos — you captured it well. And, this post made me smile on an otherwise dreary day. Thank you!
This post is so wonderful to me, and the pictures. I have always loved the geese but seldom get to see them down here in Georgia as they migrate – just now and then maybe one flock. I love the magic you speak of and that haunting sound. Thank you so much for sharing and reminding me of one of my favorite things through these 82 years.
I love them too. Two days ago we were down by the Hudson at Stillwater. There were hundreds of them in the river and many more in a field just hanging out. I could watch them all day.
When I first opened your blog, the first thing I saw was the thrilling line formation of geese moving across the sky. Then I saw the succeeding photos and thought how wonderful it is that you’re bringing these wonders of nature to your readers. Thank you so much.
Thanks Kaaren, it was a wonder for me also..
We have geese stay here (Iowa) all year now. 40 years ago, we never saw them here at all. I have a little story: A week or so ago, there was a goose standing in the pasture behind our house. The 3 horses were curious, standing around the goose, even touching it. Later, the goose “sat” and stayed that way, pretty much for the next 24 hours. Then, the man who owned the pasture walked over. He had a blanket. I think he was going to try to catch it and help it as it appeared to be ill or injured. When he went to catch it, lo and behold, off it flew.
You are sharing beautiful photographic art with your Leica 3. I love the series of geese. I always enjoy seeing Maria and the sheep. Thank you for the flower therapy. My bedtime book now is “A Good Dog,” which is excellent. Thanks for your videos and blog as well. My goal is to read all of your books.
Thank you for these beautiful pictures, the geese always stir up lovely memories of time spent with my dad. He was somewhat of a tortured soul but when we were on the lakeshore or in the woods he was always at peace. It was fascinating to see flock after flock of geese glide onto Horicon marsh. I was lucky to enter that world with him. Thanks again Jon!
Thank you for the geese photos, Jon. I hear them in the sky migrating and I have not been able to capture them with my phone camera. Always too late. You did a beautiful job of capturing the whole flock and flight pattern across the sky. I can hear them now….