Heading South
Right on target on the first day of fall, (Sept 23), the geese starting appearing in their V formations heading south. This is taken from the deck where a dozen or more streams have already passed overhead this morning as the sun breaks through the fog.
The noise of their honking is amazingly loud. It would seem that wasting energy honking doesn't make sense for a flock of geese who have so far to travel, but apparently it's a critical part of the process. The constant flow of chatter is intended to encourage those up front, and to suggest or acknowledge various changes of direction or flight plans and likely landing spots. Much like the honking GPS systems that human snow birds rely on to navigate their way south, I guess. (And it only took us a couple of centuries to invent our weak imitation!)
I also read that when one goose gets sick or is hit by gunshot, two other geese accompany it to the ground and stay with it until it recovers or dies and only then take off to join another formation - honking all the while to alert the new group that they're coming.
It seems to me that whoever came up with the expression "bird brain" to indicate low intelligence was way off the mark!
By the way, the foam in the water comes from the tidal generation plant on the Annapolis River which is just a little upstream from this spot. As the gates are raised or lowered, the water forms a very rapid falls which generates lots of natural foam. This is one of only two places in North America where electricity is generated by the tide.
Heading South
Right on target on the first day of fall, (Sept 23), the geese starting appearing in their V formations heading south. This is taken from the deck where a dozen or more streams have already passed overhead this morning as the sun breaks through the fog.
The noise of their honking is amazingly loud. It would seem that wasting energy honking doesn't make sense for a flock of geese who have so far to travel, but apparently it's a critical part of the process. The constant flow of chatter is intended to encourage those up front, and to suggest or acknowledge various changes of direction or flight plans and likely landing spots. Much like the honking GPS systems that human snow birds rely on to navigate their way south, I guess. (And it only took us a couple of centuries to invent our weak imitation!)
I also read that when one goose gets sick or is hit by gunshot, two other geese accompany it to the ground and stay with it until it recovers or dies and only then take off to join another formation - honking all the while to alert the new group that they're coming.
It seems to me that whoever came up with the expression "bird brain" to indicate low intelligence was way off the mark!
By the way, the foam in the water comes from the tidal generation plant on the Annapolis River which is just a little upstream from this spot. As the gates are raised or lowered, the water forms a very rapid falls which generates lots of natural foam. This is one of only two places in North America where electricity is generated by the tide.