Snow & Ross' Geese return

Snow and Ross' Geese are returning to their wintering grounds throughout eastern Colorado from their arctic tundra nesting areas. I saw about 1,000 of these white geese at Neegronda and Neenoshe Reservoirs on Sunday. Then while I was watching a late Greater Yellowlegs at John Martin Reservoir on Monday, a flock of about 500 white geese flew over and landed on the south shore and this photo is from this sight.Within the next few months, tens of thousands of Snow Geese and lesser numbers of Ross' Geese will make their way to SE Colorado where they will feast in the many grain fields during the winter months. These geese form the basis for the Snow Goose Festival held in February in Lamar.

I took the lower pic of a Great-tailed Grackle at Lake Meredith where it and others were feasting on some thistle plants.

Snow Geese

I took this photo of a flock of several hundred Snow Geese (actually the more generic "white geese" is more accurate since though in all likelihood most are Snow Geese there may well be some Ross' Geese in there too) as I returned from the Snow Goose Festival today. I must admit that though there are Snow (white)Geese near Lamar as I noted in earlier posts, there are not large flocks. I found this larger flock in Otero County. In a more usual winter with less snow cover on the ground there would be thousands, probably tens of thousands of white geese in the Lamar area and other locations in SE Colorado.
SeEtta