Saturday, January 24, 2009

Wintering geese




Snowflakes continue to fall silently to the ground. I look out into the distance peering through the misty white curtain around me. Bare tree branches dangle in the cold wind, silhoutted by a hazy mist. My footsteps crunch into the soft snow and are drowned into the white blanket around me barely before they form. The cold winter wind stings my cheeks as I walk on, my warm breath fogging up the cold air forming little clouds. The temperature dips down, swaying way below freezing. And then I spot them. All lined up neatly in rows of hundreds, sitting there motionlessly, huddled in the cold. Waiting and watching as the storm passes over head. Wild canada geese braving winter along the river's edge. They sit along the last ice free spots by the river bank, their backs speckled with snow. Old residents that have lived here all year long intermingled with visitors from up north. Honking and calling out loudly to one another, marking the slow passage of time through yet another wintering season.

~vagabond~ © 2009

To hear the calling of the Canada geese, click here

(Sound Byte courtesy of National Park Services)

22 comments:

alok said...

wooW, amazing wintere and nice pics. Now, I am so familiar with this place, the chillness in the wind and everything :)

You have a wonderful weekend.

GMG said...

Lovely pictures! The problem is when they bring down planes... or should it be when planes interfere with the geese? ;)
Have a great Sunday!
Blogtrotter

Blu said...

I love your words I could imagine the cold, and I love the pictures where I could see how cold it was for those birds and you too.

Anonymous said...

it says here this was posted 17 hours ago yet it is sun going on to mon here! confused.

so many of them???!!!!such lovey cuddly fat warm ducks :) makes winter seem like nice. the third picture I liked at first, on second look liked all of them :D

bindu said...

Beautiful pictures. The geese look so cute as they huddle together. Your writing brought us to the lake with you.

~vagabond~ said...

@Alok:
Thanks...LOL...you'll feel right at home then if ever you happen to visit here. You have a good week too. :)

@GMG: Oh, I'd forgotten about that...pilots dont really enjoy the geese migrations, do they? You have a great week ahead too! :)

~vagabond~ said...

@Blu:
Thanks, Blu. It was been a horrendously cold winter this year. I wonder what the birds think of it as they sit out on the freezing river watching more and more snow fall to the ground.

~vagabond~ said...

@Trisha:
LOL. I'm equally confused. I dont know when you posted your comment..but as of now it has been more than 17 hours since I put up the post. I put up the post my Saturday evening, which would probably be Sunday morning in India? I am not too sure about the time difference between here and there. Oh well. Glad you still like the photos and are not bored of the winter landscape.

~vagabond~ said...

@Bindu:

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. :)

Anonymous said...

I could so well feel the weather, the chillness around me even without your words.

The pictures say it all.

~vagabond~ said...

@Cuckoo:

Glad you can feel the cold through the photos. I'm envious of all the sunshine you have over at your end. So now you can grow icicles on your nose in the cold along with me too! Muhahaha! :P

Trevor Penn said...

All very nice, but the 4th will be my pick. :-)
Btw, just looking at them gives me the chills!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful sight.

Vamsee Modugula said...

Beautiful Pictures. Can feel the wind chill through them. One of these days your fingers are going to go numb taking these pictures:)

You amaze me with your drive for pursuing your hobby even in sub-zero temperatures.

bindu said...

Vagabond - you've been tagged. Hope you will play along!

~vagabond~ said...

@Trevor:
Thanks...and nice to see you back here again! :)

@Navin:
Thanks! :)

~vagabond~ said...

@Vamsee:
Thanks. lol. When you know you're going to have winter for almost six months out of the year, you might as well enjoy being a part of it. :)

~vagabond~ said...

@Bindu:
Another tag?! *gasp!* will go check. :)

GMG said...

Hi Vagabond!
Long time no see you at Blogtrotter! New Delhi waits your comments… ;)
Have a great week!

~vagabond~ said...

@GMG:
Will visit soon. You have a great week too! :)

Anonymous said...

wow amazing photos. even more amazing place. and the way you write, it looks as I am transported to the place.

~vagabond~ said...

@Rahi:

Well,that's good isnt it? That way you can experience snow without ever having to feel cold. ;)