Sacramento Valley astir with geese of all types

By Guy Carl
Outdoors

This week I had the opportunity to hunt geese on a Wilderness Unlimited property near Willows. Unfortunately, I chose a day in between weather fronts.  It was a clear and cold morning with not enough of a breeze to really move the birds off their normal feeding patterns.

But we had some excitement when the “funnel” of geese formed in a field just across the road from our blind. On clear days, once one good-sized flock of geese finds a safe landing place, it attracts more birds from miles around. We watched as flock after flock of snow geese, white-fronted geese (“specs”), and even some Canada geese poured in from all directions.

Groups of a dozen, two dozen, and some of up to 50 or more geese continued to join the funnel for nearly two hours after daybreak. I estimate there were several thousand birds there at one point in the morning. A couple of times the entire group would lift off with a thunder of wingbeats and a deafening wave of thousands of goose voices calling out, only to set down again in another part of the same field.

All of this activity occurred within 150 yards of our blind, giving us quite a sight to watch.  But without any inclement weather, be it fog, rain, or — since it was certainly cold enough — snow, the geese were able to wisely choose a flight path that did not lead them overhead of any of the pit blinds on the property.

Eventually, the group was disturbed enough times that they finally got up and left the area.  One wave passed low enough over our blind for us to get a couple of passing shots, but with no success on our part.

But still, it was great to see some good populations of geese already in the valley. The cold front that moved through the north part of the state earlier this week should be sending even more down the Pacific Flyway.

Guy Carl is a CPA and partner with BDCo Accountants and Advisors in St. Helena (www.bdcocpa.com). Contact him at GC.outdoors@sbcglobal.net.

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