Snow Geese of Skagit Valley

This is not in Africa. This is an hour's drive north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley, also known for its tulip fields. Those will bloom in about a month when the snow geese head north again. Right now the fields are yellow with daffodils.

Snow geese spend their summers in Alaska, but in winter they flock by the thousands to the warmer climate of the Skagit Valley.

Nowadays, after the January duck hunting season, they have been seen in big gaggles of many thousands of birds together feeding, like what I saw.

Local farmers plant winter wheat, which is just what the snow geese needs to fill up on and get fat before they fly back north.

The swans were fewer in numbers and all spread out pretty far away. Bald eagles and other raptors are also commonly seen. Here are some pictures from Sunday, February 21, 2010:
 

 
What a gorgeous day in Seattle! WOW! Never mind the Olympics going on just 2 hours away in Vancouver. Today I went just 1 hour north, half-way, to see the snow geese in the Skagit Valley with Mt. Baker in the background.
 

 
Yes, Mount Baker is in Washington state, USA. People in British Columbia think they have a better view of it and sometimes they do, but not today.
 
 

 
I have posted an album on Facebook here or cut and paste this link into your browser:

 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50087&id=1025908296&l=09fa463c20