Ever see the movie Winged Migration? It's a quiet documentary about birds. There isn't a lot of human dialogue. It's set to music and occasionally there is a subtitle here or there, or maybe a bit of narration. But ultimately it's about birds doing bird behaviors in varying habitats all over the world.
When I think about birds and their migratory patterns, it makes sighting three pairs of Canada Geese this morning a little more special. Canada Geese migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle. We are lucky to have them as visitors to our city. People think they are residents, but they aren't. Pay attention to what months they are seen, and it becomes obvious that they are just passing through - once on their trip North and once on their trip South.
I love that I can rely on their return. While I've never written down my observations, I have participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count during President's Day weekend many times. I believe the geese begin stopping here right around that time. We hear them passing overhead for a couple of weeks before they actually start to land and gather. But lately as I traverse the bike path I find myself sighting them more and more. It's my version of the game, Duck, Duck, Goose.
Spring is such a great time to observe birds. Like Rachael Carson, I think it's true that Spring would feel empty without the sounds, and sights, of migratory birds. I can't wait until April, when it's time for California Quail sightings and groups of water fowl offspring all over the place. Spring is the promise of their return too.
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