The Flyoff

This flyoff occurred when hundreds—no, make that thousands—of snow geese decided that they would like to be on the east side of Highway 5, instead of the west.

It was the sound that was the initial clue: a kind of crinkling, fluttering noise off in the distance. Then, a vast amorphous white form rising as one, then splitting itself into confetti-like dots, then gradually turning into individual birds.

As I’ve said, my lens won’t really function as a wildlife lens—not enough of a telephoto range. So as the birds came over I tried to concentrate on showing them as part of the landscape. (Click on the two upper shots for larger images.) Of course I had to take one or two shots of the birds themselves. Since this flyoff happened during mid-morning I was better prepared than last year’s sunrise one.

Photos: Flyoff—Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, 2009; Snow Geese & Tree— Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, 2009; Snow Geese— Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, 2009