They Just Freak Out

Canada Geese that is. They poop all over everything; they fill the skies, they litter our parks, playgrounds, and roadways, and they can be downright ornery. They probably feel the same way about us though, except for the pooping everywhere. The habit they have that bugs me is that they won’t pose for a picture. Even in groups of a hundred they turn their back as soon as my approach is noted. Often they turn and walk away acting disgusted like I’m some annoying paparazzi. I’m just trying to make a picture of them looking regal and bold, which is tough when all you see is their backsides waddling away. Angry honks send scores of them into flight mode in an instant. I wonder if I ventured too close, was too loud, wore the wrong color clothes that made me look threatening, or even presented the odor of a predator. It remains a mystery.

For this picture I used a big long lens (300mm f/2.8) with a 2X teleconvertor, making my range 600mm. This was the first picture I took, I think it was before they noticed me. Then a fateful step that broke a twig, echoed through the air, sent the Canada Geese skyward.

Nikon D4 Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2X Tele @ 600mm f/9 ISO 6400 1/1250 sec

Canada Geese not Canadian Geese

For years I had referred to the geese in my area as Canadian Geese, which I discovered today is just plain wrong. They are Canada Geese. From my reading, their name means from Canada, but I suppose since geese don’t technically have nationalities and freely migrate without passports or birth certificates between the United States and Canada they are not “Canadian”. What has always been a bit of a mystery to me was there propensity to fly in a particular formation, often labeled the “V” formation. I knew it was supposed to make it easier for them to fly greater distances at reduced exertion, but I had no idea how effective it was. When a skein (not a gaggle, that’s when they are not flying) of 25 geese is in the “V” formation each bird reduces its drag by up to 65 percent and increase its range by 71 percent. Pretty impressive, especially thinking how we humans have difficulty forming a queue entering a movie theater.

A Skein of Canada Geese

Nikon D800  Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm f/9 ISO100 1/160 second