In the spring and fall, you might spot strangers among the Canadian Geese we usually see in Warren County. Flying high in massive flocks or foraging in our fields, these visitors are Snow Geese, a breed of goose that can be found all the way up in the Arctic to breed, but who winter in warmer climates, enjoying the fields and marshes of the Southern U.S. in colder months. Snow geese can be snowy white or have dark feathers on their wing tips or bodies.

Larger than ducks but smaller than swan, geese are waterfowl that eat aquatic vegetation or graze on short grasses and grains. They don’t dive for their food, but their long necks allow them to reach underwater to the tasty snacks below.

Along with the other waterfowl species, Snow Geese have long been hunted, according to Charlie, and, combined with lost habitat, numbers of waterfowl in the U.S. had been in decline. However, thanks to conservation efforts from hunters and conservationists, most North American geese and swans now have stable or rising populations, he said.

Charlie’s note: Getting an opportunity to observe these Snow Geese is always a fun, exciting and awe-inspiring event.  Whether they are flying far overhead in their famous long wavy lines with their tell-tale high-pitched honking, or you are observing their flocks of thousands on a lake or farmland, they are quite a sight!!  I was LUCKY a couple of years ago to have a large flock right in my backyard!!  I sneaked out my front door and worked my way to the back of my house with camera ready, where I observed, photographed and recorded a moderately noisy flock foraging in the sod fields. Then, SUDDENLY, the entire flock exploded into the air, with a deafening highly agitated chorus of thousands!! The story I related is your first Flickr link!!  Enjoy!!

Please go to my Flickr site for more photos and videos:

Snow Geese commotion in my backyard – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157651384859696

Snow Geese at Merrill Creek – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157650311817802

Merrill Creek Reservoir in Harmony is probably the best place to observe these huge flocks in the Spring and Fall during their migrations!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historical Society – President