This tightly packed cluster of Canada Geese is pretty much at the center of an upsurge involving more than a hundred honkers…
They’ve been grazing around this pond for days, perhaps gathering strength for the upcoming journey. I approach them slowly, hoping to shoot some close-ups of the geese at rest, but they don’t like me and my long, strange lens. So they sound an alarm, fly straight up and the entire group follows their lead.
Within a half hour, they’ll circle back for another few days of eating and rest. Only when the pond freezes solid will the gaggle go for good.