My Geese Are Back!

Canada Geese

Finally, the geese have come back to Carpenter Lake Nature Park! Today is the beginning of a wonderful time! Even though yesterday started this series of events on a sour note, this was actually an eventful and happy day for me. The geese have finally come back! Just like last year, I was right there at the park to watch them fly in on their first day back. What a wonderful experience!

The whole nature park seems to have sprung to life on the day the geese came back. There are smaller birds all throughout the forest. The squirrels are beginning to peek back out of their hiding places, even though they still seem tentative. And there are even small insects flying around out there.

One big surprise I got today while I was in the middle of the forest actually took the form of something very small. Well, actually some things. The chipmunks decided to leave their underground homes and come out to investigate this early warm weather. There were tiny little chipmunks running around everywhere! I wish I could have been quick enough to catch one on camera, but I'll keep trying. I have something just as good anyway.

The geese coming in for a landing

I actually have video of the very noisy geese flying down onto the frozen lake! This is a good improvement over last years bad photos of them flying in. You might have to look closely to see them coming in, but you will be able to hear them very clearly. Making noise is what Canada geese do best. Well, maybe second best. Look at the ground anywhere they have been.

One odd thing I noticed in this video is right at the point where the geese come to a halt at landing. While flying in, they make constant noise with all of their honking calls. It's almost as if they use the sound to notify of their coming, or for maybe navigation. As soon as they come to a halt upon landing, the noise abruptly stops. I found that quite odd.

Canada Geese In Flight

Here is a picture of the second pair of geese from the video. The first picture is of the first pair, but I used my zoom lense from the other end of the lake. This picture is a capture from the video itself. This second pair didn't land in front of me, they only circled overhead. They decided to land farther up the lake where no humans ever go. There are more geese there, and also a flock of ducks.

I said no humans go there, but that's not entirely true. I snuck up there to get some very interesting video of the ducks. I couldn't get too close, but I was close enough. I'll be showing that one to you very soon, along with some other very excellent videos and pictures in the upcoming days.

I really have had two very good days now. Even if spring is not truly here yet, the animals have decided that it is! I can't tell you how excited I am about the events from these past two days. I've seen so many things, so many animals. I'm eager to be able to share them with you. I have such sights to show you!