Every spring the huge flocks of snow geese make their annual stop here in the Skagit Valley. It’s an impressive sight, but unfortunately (as many tourists discover) it doesn’t work very well as a photograph.
(Click for big.)
I pulled over in the parking lot of a farm stand called – coincidentally enough – the Snow Goose. It was crazy windy, I had to actually lean over and push my car door open with my feet in order to extract myself from my car.
The geese were having trouble, too.
(Click here if you can’t see the video.)
It was a dramatic day, weather-wise. The skies had finally cleared, after a 36-hour downpour where we received (according to my rain gauge) 5.5 inches of rain. The sun was out, but dire clouds still threatened.
(Click for big.)
When I post pictures of Skagit Valley, people are often surprised at how flat it is here. But you can see the foothills of the Cascades in the background, shrouded by the rain clouds.
That’s a fun video. Reminds me of some bike rides I’ve done.
Flap harder, geeses! HARDER!!!
Poor geese! I bet those wings are pretty tired — but strong! — at the end of the flight.