After a several week cyber hiatus, Sally and her mobile photography challenge are back for another round in 2017. Sally, I hope you had a wonderful and refreshing time. Perhaps one day I’ll summon the fortitude to do the same. 🙂
Today we’re back to nature as our theme. Supposedly geese fly south in the winter, away from the chilly northern Illinois temperatures. But each year there are plenty of them left well into winter. As you can see from my photo, they gather on the river en masse, honking and readying themselves for take off, although where they’re actually going is anyone’s guess. It reminds me of an avian airport with one runway. After sufficiently getting their engines going, a small flock takes off, amid much racket. When the proper interval has passed, then next group does the same. However, despite all the takeoffs and the time of year, the goose population in our area is still doing well.
Other than the frame, this shot looks as it did when I took it on a cold but beautiful morning.
This, that and the other thing 
Bravo. What a wonderful shot: interesting, unusual, still and telling, with a great moment of what looks like the lead goose with its wings upturned.
Randy
I just got back from a walk and there were about this many geese there again. Fly south, I say…but they don’t seem to get the message. None of them were obliging enough to take off while I was looking, though. Glad you liked the shot.
janet
Beautiful shot, Janet. I always thought some of those geese flew toward a wrong direction, but I kept telling myself it must be my eyes. I am so happy to read your post! It’s not my eyes, yeah!
Have a wonderful 2017!
Janet, happy, happy New Year, I wish for you days ahead filled with scenes such as you have captured. Beauty and serenity of nature’s bounty are obvious in it. The mood is made more alive by the colors, lovely. Happy Photo Challenge.
Thanks, Sally, and happy New Year to you, too. I saw virtually the same scene this morning. It felt good to get out and walk again. With company and holidays doings, I missed some mornings.
janet
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Beautiful but, oh, so cold looking! Sending wishes for a HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😀
Linda, it was cold but lovely. Sending wishes for a most wonderful and blessed 2017 right back to you.
janet
It’s beautiful!
Deborah, it looked like this again this morning, but the snow is all gone. 😦 I’m happy you enjoyed the shot.
janet
Burrrrrr!!! It is snowing here this morning and the resident geese are not to be seen. They stay here all year around. We are in the Sierra foothills, East of Sacramento, CA. I love to hear the geese flying over the barn and honking while I am feeding. They usually change from one pond to another at daylight
We rarely get snow at this elevation but today is a rare day.
I’d love to have some snow today, but it’s all gone. I did see some great ice patterns, though. Enjoy your snow and the new year.
janet
I’d love to have some snow today, but it’s all gone. I did see some great ice patterns, though. Enjoy your snow and the new year.
janet
Wonderful shot! Lots of atmosphere! 🙂 Happy New Year to you! 🙂
Thanks, Connie. Great to see you. Happy New Year to you and yours as well.
janet
What a great winter photo, I really like the flying birds in the sky!
Thanks, Lena. Nice of them to pose like that, wasn’t it? 🙂
janet
It sure was 🙂
I love the composition of this shot Janet!
I have the geese taking off to thank for that, Su. 🙂
That’s a beauty Janet – would make a great Christmas card! Have a terrific 2017!
Thanks, Tina. I’ll keep that in mind for next year.
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Captured the cold moment of winter life. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Carol. The same to you.
janet
This is a great photo, Janet. I’m always amazed at the fact that the ice cold water doesn’t really bother them. Or, if it does, that they don’t complain.
It’s a testament to the worth of goose down for keeping you warm, Dan. 🙂
I like the moment that you captured here, Janet. The one goose has his wings up, ready for another bite of air beneath—no wonder it is the leader!
Ω
What a cool capture, Janet! Love, love it 🙂
Excellent shot — Happy 2017! Cornell Lab of Ornithology is my go to place to find out “why” with birds! Here’s a link I hope you find helpful;
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/lifehistory
Thanks, Lindy. I’ll check it out. Happy 2017 to you as well.
janet
LIndy, that’s an excellent site and confirms what I suspected: that geese are more likely to hang out in northern and suburban areas because of the factors the site mention. Always nice to know my suspicions were correct. I’m going to look at this site a lot more in the future, so thanks again.
Oh cool photo – and the third one from the left – with wings up – now hat is a cool capture!
Glad you liked it. It was good to get a shot with the geese flying as well as on the river
janet
yes – the whole shot is a wonderful capture….
stunning in black and white!
That’s the way it actually looked that day. I didn’t edit the color at all.
janet
that is so great!
Love this photo. The flying birds fill the top of the frame perfectly.
A little judicious cropping helped. 🙂 But that was all I did.
janet
It’s a great shot, so icy and beautiful! I love it!
Thanks, Joey! It was a perfectly gorgeous morning, so I’m glad my shot conveyed that.
janet