Arctic Desert Denizens~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life

More than a million snow geese migrate to California each year.

They have been following this same migration pattern,

for millennia.

They come from Russia, Alaska and Canada.

Over 30,000 of them winter at The Salton Sea in Southern California.

It is always disconcerting,

to see thousands of these arctic birdies,

sunning in the desert.

Sandhill cranes from Canada soak up the sun here too.

Cheers to you from the arctic desert birdies~

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267 thoughts on “Arctic Desert Denizens~”

  1. These are beautiful, Cindy, I love Snow Geese! They also winter in huge numbers around the mid-Atlantic Chesapeake Bay region, and I’ve sat in my car many times to watching and listening to them. When they take off, the noise is amazing, I’m sure you know. With a take off and/or landing, it’s like seeing a snow globe in real life! So glad you shared these, I’m missing ‘mine’ this winter. 😘

    Reply

    1. Yes! I love your “snow globe in real life.” Wonderfully descriptive. Their sound is unique. If you get really close, the whirl of the wings, the wind they create, the sound of them, and the blockage of your vision except for the birds. It is an amazing experience დ

      Reply

      1. I know what you mean, it’s like a Snow Geese tornado! I was standing outside my car (more than once 😉 ) alongside a huge flock, when something startled them and they started flying and swirling all around me. Hearing their wings, their squawks, the sight was mesmerizing! Until the poo bombs started falling. I ran for my car! 🤣 I was lucky to not get hit but my car did. 😏

        Reply

        1. I know I will regret saying this, because the birdies will know, and respond accordingly to a bird-poop braggart…. but I have never been pooped on by a wild bird 😉 😉 My cars have though, but I don’t blame the birdies for that! Happy New Year Donna! 🌿🕛💏💕

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          1. I’ve been bombed twice, lol. It wasn’t funny neither time…..but it is now. 😂 I don’t mind the car either, hehe. Happy New Year, Cindy, from the other side of the U.S. 🥂 😘

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    1. “We had joy, we had fun
      We had seasons in the sun
      But the wine and the song
      Like the seasons have all gone.”
      I think these are lyrics from a British pop song that stuck in my head since I was little. There were so many more lyrics. I was always wondering as a kid, wait, where’s my joy and fun? I didn’t realize it was always passing.

      Reply

      1. Can’t rememebr the group, but do the sone Cindy.

        Like a flash, I do say,
        Joy spins away,
        Replaced one day,
        With some dismay,
        As the mind sinks into disarray,
        And the body needs an X-ray,
        Stomach can’t cope with satay,
        No point in praying whatever you say,
        Gods got his hands full, every day,
        Tryingto make Covid-19 go away!

        I just made that up, gal. Am I losing it? Nae, I lost it ages ago.

        It’d nice if could go back and try again… mind you… perhaps not me. Hehehe!

        Thanks, take care and be safe, petal. ♥

        Reply

        1. Now that is an epic poem. And I feel the burn of the satay, the burning absence I mean… Life with no satay? I say nay! Hope the New Year is kind to you my friend 👪🌃🥂🎇

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    1. Awww, thank you my friend. We are embarking on another virtual year together. How many has it been? Quite a few I think. I look forward to sharing the year with you. Happy & Healthy New Year to you 🌿🕛💏💕

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  15. Wow! That is an astonishingly huge number of geese! They’re beautiful, though, aren’t they?

    I’ve often wondered what effect migrating birds, en masse, have on the immediate environment. I suppose, as it happens year after year, it’s become part of the form of nature. (If that makes sense).

    I hope you have a good new year and years to come. All the best.

    Reply

    1. Interesting question. I don’t really know the answer to it though. They certainly spread fertilizer, seeds, provide nutrients for hungry predators, and depending on the species, help keep insect and reptile populations in check. They have been migrating in numbers far greater than we have now for thousands of years so they are probably an integral part of the ecological web. Happy & Healthy New Year to you Val 🌿🕛💏💕

      Reply

    1. Bloggers create an awesome community of talented, creative and kind people, that I am so honored to be part of. People like you my friend! Happy & Healthy New Year to you 🌿🕛💏💕

      Reply

      1. Thank you for making me feel awesome. I am sure blogging has been a blessing for many this past year and will continue to be on into the coming year. I read and enjoy so many topics that I never imagined would be of interest. It’s hard to explain it to someone who has never blogged. It has to be experienced to be understood.
        The best to you too.

        Reply

        1. You are so right. You have to be part of the blogging community to understand how awesome it is. I can’t even imagine the past year without it. The news media and FB would be our main source of information? Yuck. How dismal would that be! Bloggers give us interesting things to read about, see and share. God bless bloggers!!

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  22. We don’t see snow geese (gorgeous photos BTW) but we have two gaggles of geese who live in our neighborhood – came from Canada and now just live here.

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  26. Talk about lots of birds.

    The plan had been to place a lot of windmills and solar panels along their flyway. Fortunately, the power utilities couldn’t pass their EIS.

    Reply

    1. You gotta scratch your head re: the planners, don’t ya? I wonder how long it took in the planning process before they figured out that a million birds might mess up their windmills.

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  28. Spectacular, Cindy! They are sure a sight to see. There are some bird sanctuaries in NorCal that I’ve visited over the years. Armed with my new camera 4 years ago, we ventured out to one near Colusa. I couldn’t wait to see them flocking like in the past. BUT…there had been so much rain that the water was almost too deep for them to feed properly. I saw a few that day but not what I had hoped for. Great shots and good timing!

    Reply

    1. Ah, thank you Terri! Lots of water enables them to spread out more and be more difficult to see. I have experienced this too and it is frustrating for us, but good for the birds. Wishing you a Happy & Healthy New Year my friend დ

      Reply

  33. WOW!!! Just AMAZING!!
    I would love to be a Snowbird (of the human sort) and fly to California or Texas or anywhere south for the winter. *sigh*

    ❤️carmen

    Reply

    1. So happy you enjoyed Carmen & thank you. You just continue blooming where you’re planted. Southern California is not a safe place to be right now my friend. Happy & Healthy New Year დ

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  38. Happy New Year, Cindy! So lovely to be able to visit with your spectacular pictures. And, as always, I had to scroll down forever to be able to comment. 🙂 Wishing you the best for 2021. Stay safe. Lots of love, xx

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  39. We have many that pass through here and the entire city of Portland and surround will stop for them if they wander the interstate or roadways. You are so good at capturing the full magnificence of these birds. Happy New Year, Cindy.

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  40. I think migration is fascinating, and of course you capture it beautifully! It’s a wonder how they don’t bump into each other in such large close flocks. Thank you, Cindy.

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  41. Oh how lovely. The sound must be amazing. One year in particular, hundreds of dark-bellied Brent geese migrated from Russia to the UK’s SE coast. Every time they flew in configuration over my garden, my dog and I rushed out with excitement to watch them. They honked from dawn until dusk. It was sublime.

    Reply

    1. Just reading about this gives me goosebumps. How wonderful that you and your dog loved and appreciated them! It is nature, in all her glory, just waiting for us to notice and recognize, we are part of all of it. Stay safe and well Sarah დ

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  50. Hi, Cindy,

    I have been very tired after Christmas, and have been keeping holidays.

    ??

    In addition to this I have worries with my computer all the time.I’ll try to come back – maybe in February.Happy New Year 2021! ?? ? ? ?

    I am always hibernating on January and sometimes also February ?? ??

    Sending many blessings to you ?? ?? ??

    Anaelle A. ??

    ________________________________ Lähettäjä: WordPress.com Lähetetty: lauantai 2. tammikuuta 2021 16.25 Vastaanottaja: jisai_grist3111@outlook.com Aihe: [New post] Arctic Desert Denizens~

    cindy knoke posted: ” More than a million snow geese migrate to California each year. They have been following this same migration pattern, for millennia. They come from Russia, Alaska and Canada. Over 30,000 of them winter at The Salto”

    Reply

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