The Migration of the Canadian Snow Geese,
Comes to Hopkins County, Saturday

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

 

If you were headed down Hwy-11 east, near the Thermo Cut-off,  on Saturday, you saw a strange sight and probably joined many motorist who saw the field south of the highway covered in Canadian Snow Geese. Many stopped and took pictures, while others just stood and watched, as thousands of the birds landed near a farm pond and began to feed and rest in the area.

"It looked like the place was covered with them!" declared one observer. "They just kept flying in and landing near the pond!"

"They're beautiful!" exclaimed another observer. "Does this mean they think the winter is over and are headed back north?"

 

 

A little research on the internet reveals that the Snow Goose or Blue Goose, is a North American species that's name is derived from the typically white plumage, with black tipped wings. The goose breed north of the timberline in Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern tip of Siberia. They winter in the warm parts of North America from southwestern British Columbia through parts of the U.S., to Mexico.

 

 

 

 

 

The Snow Goose has two colors of plumage (with both colors in Saturday's flock). One is snowy white with black tips on the wings, while others have bluish-grey plumage on the main part of the body with white on the head, neck, and tail tips.

 

 

 

The geese are said to be "long-term, pairing birds," that mate for life, usually when they are two years old, and breeding usually starts during the third year. The birds are known to return to the same place they were hatched to breed.

Snow geese often nest in colonies and nesting usually begins at the end of May or during the first few days of June, depending on snow conditions in the breeding area. They breed from May to August, but spend over half of their year migrating to and from the south, for the winter. Snow geese will migrate as far as 3000 miles or more for winter feeding and fly in traditional "fly-routes" across the U.S.

 

 

 

 

 

The geese like to travel and feed in flocks and in the winter search for left-over grain fields, in which they can find the kernels of grain that were left behind during harvest. When they can't find grain they try to find ares where insects are prevalent.

Major predators of the Canadian Snow Geese are the Arctic fox and other small animals that threaten the young or take advantage of the nesting areas, to rob the nests.

 

 

Meanwhile, the large flock of Canadian Snow Geese, that landed on Saturday, about noon, between Como and Martin Springs, were a "show stopping" event, as motorist enjoyed their beauty and the phenomenon of seeing something unusual in Hopkins County!

Hopefully, this flock of Snow Geese aren't headed back north too soon! Maybe, it's a sign that springtime is "just around the corner!"

 

 

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