15

Geese are Flying North

Geese are flying North

Local geese fly low over the water and treetops. (Pixabay)

Just to let you know, a couple of week ago, two huge “V’s” of Canada Geese flew by overhead. Immediately, I thought, “Ah, the geese are flying north.” So, I thought you’d like to know the geese are on the move. If you live in Canada or the northern U.S., you’ll be pleased to know that these magnificent harbingers of spring are coming your way. I could hardly see the V’s, because the geese flew so high. They were obviously migrating rather than the couple that live around here year-round, which fly low right over the river or slightly above the treetops. Now, I wonder, did they make it? Have you seen any geese arriving? Please comment below to let me know where you live, if the geese have left (if you’re south of me) or arrived (if you’re north).

Geese are Flying North

Waterfowl Flyings. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

I live on a river in Virginia close to the Atlantis Ocean. This means that I’m right in the middle of the Atlantic Flyway of migrating birds. As you can see from the map on the left, you may be on one of the central, mountain or Pacific flyways.

The geese that fly over here end up going to the northeastern U.S., the Atlantic Provinces, and Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba in Canada. I feel honored and privileged to see so many of the waterfowl flying through here. In addition, during the winter, groups of them live on the river.

Not only geese live here during the winter. Many northern waterfowl also spend the cold months here. For example, occasionally we have whistling swans. This year, we had a few buffleheads (those cute little black-and-white diving ducks), just in case you’re wondering where they went when they weren’t with you. They’re gone now.

geese are flying north

A “V” of geese flying north, high in the sky. (donwhite84, Pixabay)

We also have one loon that comes every year and lives in the river calling out its mournful song. The only time I’ve seen the loon with others of its kind–and there were only five total–was just before the migration. They must get together in preparation of moving north. If you have a loon during the summer in a nearby body of water, who knows, it might winter with me? If so, know that it’s well appreciated!

geese are flying north

How robins used to look when they’d arrive while I lived in Canada. (Fotocitizen, Pixabay)

We’ve already had pods of robins go through–they stop to peck at and kick about in our leaves, both males and females–and then they’re gone leaving only the few that live the summer here. Interestingly, flickers seems to migrate with the robins.

In addition, the red-winged blackbirds are long gone. They are some of the first to fly through. I only get to hear their wonderful shrill cries during the migration. Otherwise, they don’t live here, or anyway, the ones that live here, don’t live close to my home. Usually, I only see and

Geese are flying north

Male red-winged blackbird, Walter Siegmund photographer (Wikipedia Creative Commons)

hear them in the spring when they’re passing through. The sound of their shrill cries brings back fond memories of them hanging on to the tops of fuzzy bullrushes/cattails in the swamps around Port Colborne, Ontario, close to my childhood home in Canada.

Every time I see birds migrating north through here, I think of you who live in the north, and feel grateful to see that they’re headed your way. I remember how, when I still lived in Canada, I yearned to see the first robin, because it meant that spring had to be coming soon. Then, when the geese started flying overhead, I knew that warm weather would soon arrive.

Geese are flying north

Yellow daffodils (Pixabay)

Well, here in the South, spring has sprung already . Daffodils are blooming. Just wanted to let you know, spring is on its way to you.

I invite you to write in the comments section: Where are you? Are the daffodils blooming? If you’re south of me, are your azaleas blooming? Have the geese left where you live? Or, are the geese flying north overhead? Are they arriving? Or, are you still waiting?

Want More Great Dream Interpretations?

Carol Chapman
 

Carol Anne Chapman is the author of When We Were Gods, Arrival of the Gods in Egypt, and Have Your Hearts Desire. She met her husband first in a dream. Formerly the media photojournalist at a NASA center, she presently provides online guidance on such topics as dream interpretation, the Golden Ones, and past life memories at https://CarolChapmanLive.com/bookasession. She has been featured on Coast- to-Coast AM hosted by George Noory and Art Bell as well as CBS radio's Kimmie and Steve and The Maria Shaw Show. Her articles have been published in Venture Inward, Alternative Perceptions, Dream Network, The Open Road, and FATE Magazine.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 15 comments
Jayne - March 4, 2021

I am in central Connecticut. It seems early for the geese to be returning, but I heard them in the pre-dawn dark. We are due for a short spell of mild weather in the next few days, and that must be encouraging the migrants to come home. I am trying to adjust to not seeing birds here, a senior apartment, after decades of bird-watching elsewhere. Hearing them is some consolation!

Reply
    Carol Chapman - March 4, 2021

    Hi Jayne, wonderful to hear from you. Yes, the geese are leaving the South. I feel happy to know that they have a home to come to. We’re going through a similar adjustment, because we’re in the process of moving away from the water, which, of course, is where the geese, ducks and loons come in the winter. I miss hearing them inland. Interestingly, although the loons like to stay solitary all winter, just before they leave here, I see about 4 or 5 together. It’s like our local loon is showing friends around. Thanks for writing.

    Reply
Larry WAlker - February 27, 2021

My name is Larry Walker I live in Bellevue Nebraska today is 27 February and I saw geese flying north I’m just glad to see that because I know spring is not far away

Reply
    Carol Chapman - February 28, 2021

    Hi Larry, How wonderful! Isn’t it just so fantastic to hear the geese and look up and see them flying north. Thanks for being in touch. By the way, you might be interested in one of my recent videos. It’s really short – only 30 seconds – and it quotes a famous poem about spring being on its way. Here’s the link: https://carolchapmanlive.com/if-winter-comes-can-spring-be-far-behind-quote-in-30-seconds/ Great to hear from you!

    Reply
Judy Higgins - February 18, 2021

I don’t know if you will get this sense it’s an old piece I ran across it in my search and with all the bad weather everyone has been having I thought I would try and get it out there that the geese are flying

Reply
    Carol Chapman - February 24, 2021

    Hi Judy, thanks for being in touch. I’m glad you brought this to my attention. Actually, I did notice more “V” formations flying overhead and more honking than usual. I guess spring is in the air!!! Great to hear from you, Carol

    Reply
Sandy - September 18, 2019

At 6:?0 am in Sun City AZ I was sweeping my porch and was surprised on my cool quiet morning to hear loud honking. Low overhead was a perfectly beautiful formation of geese flying North. These loud huge birds just made my morning off to a joyful start. We have a lot of lakes in Sun City and I wonder where they landed! I am new to the area so I will have to do my researce!

Reply
Stephanie Stanfield - March 6, 2017

This reminds me of a prank my two sons played on me. I guess you could call it “I sleep with the geeses.” One Saturday morning, I got my sons up – they were about 7 and 9 years old – to go hunting with their dad. I climbed back into my nice warm bed to catch up on some much needed sleep. When I woke up, my sons were staring at me and laughing. My youngest was rolling on the floor, he was laughing so hard. I asked them what was so funny. They laughed even harder. Then, my oldest son pointed to the other side of my nice warm waterbed. They had laid a dead goose on that side of the bed. Then, they laughed even harder than before. We have laughed about that so much over the years. As I said, I sleep with the geeses!

Reply
    Carol Chapman - March 6, 2017

    Hi Stephanie, I’ve heard of the Dog Whisperer, but this is certainly a first: A Woman Who Sleeps with Geese! You might be interested in this article about resident Canada geese, that escaped from a game farm. They have grown to a population of 15,000 on the east coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It turns out that they have been destroying the environment. A birdlover is advocating a “cull” of the birds, but a green-party candidate advocates restraint. By the way, where are you? I assume somewhere in the country.
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bird-lover-advocates-eradication-of-canada-geese/article560256/

    Reply
Jody Hossack - March 6, 2017

Carol, this was a nice piece. I enjoyed it very much. I didn’t know you knew so much about birds. Glad to know spring is on the way. A wonderful time of the year.

Reply
    Carol Chapman - March 6, 2017

    Hi Jody, Thanks for the compliment about my bird knowledge. In explanation, during the time I studied Photography and Filmmaking, I met a group of University of Toronto zoology students who belonged to the Long Point Bird Observatory. They became my instant friends once they discovered my abilities with a camera. As a result, they would include me on their bird-banding forays at the end of Long Point, which is a peninsula that sticks out 21 miles into Lake Erie. Before I met them, (and started taking photos for their newsletter and displays), I thought an Old Squaw was a Native American. In fact, I thought the bird-banders were joking when they talked about the Old Squaws in the lagoon. It turns out an Old Squaw is the prettiest little diving duck with a cute pintail. They are very difficult to photograph, because no sooner do you get your telephoto lens focused, than the bird dives! Then, they stay under water so long that you can’t anticipate where they’re going to come up. By the time you find the bird on the surface and start to focus the lens, they dive again! Oops, I just looked them up online, and I see they’re now called the “Long-tailed duck,” I guess that’s more politically correct. Here’s a link to their picture: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Long-tailed_Duck/lifehistory Cute, eh?

    Reply
Christina Brighton - March 5, 2017

Hi Carol – I love your post. I live in Kitchener, Ontario (just west of London, Ontario where you spoke some years ago – I still remember it !) A week ago our weather was warmer, and I have a friend that saw a robin. I was shocked by this because I didn’t think it warm enough, and only one? I wondered what that meant. Yes, I’ve seen geese, but some of these down know enough to fly south anymore. They are here all year ’round. And the ducks that we feed are also here all year around or else they thought it wasn’t cold enough to go south ? Might have to ask them. Great to talk with you.

Reply
    Carol Chapman - March 6, 2017

    Hi Christina, Wonderful to hear from you. I still remember the happy, smiling faces sitting in the audience in front of me when I spoke in London! That’s interesting about the robin. Somewhere I believe I read that often the males arrive way ahead of the females. Maybe this one robin was a male. Thanks for bringing up the issue of non-migrating geese and ducks. Great to talk with you too.

    Reply
Deb - March 5, 2017

I live in southeast Wisconsin, and we’ve had flocks of geese flying over for at least 3 weeks, robins arrived singing, and last week there was a flock of redoing blackbirds, along with grackles. While I love watching the birds, it worries me, because this is extremely unusual to have all this action so early, due to unusually warm weather in Feb. With all the odd weather this spring, it makes me wonder about climate change.

Reply
    Carol Chapman - March 6, 2017

    Hi Deb, You and me both. We also had unseasonably warm weather in eastern Virginia this February. It does make you wonder about climate change. I feel happy to know the migrating geese have made it up to their nesting area. Thanks for writing in.

    Reply

Leave a Reply:

WPGrow