Snow Geese in Flight – Winter Delight

The Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania has astonishing  natural events that occur on a yearly cycle. One in particular occurs every winter.

During the winter months tens of thousands of Snow Geese undulate in seemingly never-ending threads across the winter sky.  

Barren fields appear white as snow as each bird gleans what it can from harvested crops. 

These beautiful, gentle birds winter throughout  the United States and Mexico.  Along the Atlantic coast Greater Snow Geese can be found as far south as South Carolina.

Occasionally birds banded through a project conducted by the Université Laval can be found feeding amongst  the  thousands wintering in the valley. 

www.cen.ulaval.ca/gon-gsg/en_description.aspx

Once spring approaches Snow Geese journey northward to nesting grounds in the High Arctic tundra. In this cold desolate landscape they lay their eggs and raise their young.

Distribution of the Greater Snow Goose

Only one population of Greater Snow Geese exists in the world. It is almost entirely confined to the Atlantic flyway of North America. Greater Snow Geese breed in the Canadian High Arctic, from the Foxe Basin to Alert on northern Ellesmere Island. Some breeding colonies can also be found on the western coast of Greenland. This makes the Greater Snow Goose one of the most northerly breeding geese in the world. It winters along the United States Atlantic coast, from New Jersey to South Carolina, with major concentrations around Delaware and Chesapeake bays.

from:  www.hww.ca/en/species/birds/greater-snow-goose.html

To find out more about this migration and to see the photos of last year’s flocks click on any of the links.

theirisandthelily.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/a-field-of-white/

Thank you for dropping by.  If you’re so inclined, please let me know what you think!  Enjoy your day