And one last post about the geese

A beautiful day at Middlecreek - a taste of summer! Many more geese than last week.
Take a peek - :

180,000 Snow Geese

The numbers are up to 180,000 snow geese at Middlecreek as of Monday:

This is apparently the largest number of snow geese ever observed at Middle Creek. Conversely, Canada goose and tundra swan numbers remain relatively low. There are reports of geese and swans already to the north of us, we don't know how long these birds might linger here.
~Jim Binder
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Manager

We have plans to go again, tomorrow, Wednesday, with some friends. My van will be full, but if anyone (Kim and Erin I'm specifically thinking of you, but anyone is welcome) would like to caravan out there, send me an email asap - we'll be leaving around 12 noon. It takes about an hour. Plans will change if it is pouring down raining or if the numbers drop dramatically.

The Geese and Swans

It's the beginning of March, which means it is time for the Snow Geese migration through nearby Middlecreek Game Lands. It has become a tradition for our family to take a gander (oh, yes, that pun is intended) at the geese and swans that stopover on their journey to the arctic. We went yesterday and it was freezing cold, actually quite below freezing with the wind chill. There weren't as many geese as some years, but there were plenty and we got a good look at quite a few tundra swans. Middlecreek also has a small museum with some stuffed wildlife, a small learning station or two and a big window with good binoculars and field guides. We spent almost a half of an hour watching the birds at the feeders and watching the geese in the distance. At the feeders we spotted a red-bellied woodpecker - that was a real treat!

And in other bird news, the falcons are back on the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg. Check out the webcam, egg-laying should begin later this month.

My video of the snow geese looks far better on my computer than it does from youtube, but it'll still give you an idea of the spectacle. Below that is another video (with sound) from someone in Canada.