Why did the pheasants cross the road?

These can be tough game birds to try to photograph. They spook easily and are constantly on the lookout for predators and photographers to flee. I spotted this trio of wild birds in a gleaned farm field in northern Missouri and only managed to snap off a few frames as they took off at a sprint.

D.




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Snow Goose Video

A quick video of the snow goose migration at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri. Shot December 2010. Video shot with Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f/1.7 fixed lens. 720p HD AVCHD format.



Dress warm and carry an umbrella, but be careful if you wear a down jacket. They might take special aim at you as they fly overhead...


D.
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Honk Honk Honk

Two ducks in a sea of geese.

I had the chance to head to one of my favorite places in the state for viewing wildlife: Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge north of Kansas City. I got there at the tail end of the snow goose migration, and it was a sight to behold.

Liftoff.

A gaggle of 250,000 geese were on their way through to warmer climes. I watched for hours as they milled about and took off in small bunches to fly around get the blood pumping before landing for a rest again.

Migration.

In the evening just before sunset, they took off in huge flocks over the course of about 45 minutes. I figured they were just getting the blood flowing before settling in for a night of single-digit temperatures. I was wrong.

Fallen.

When I got back the next morning, there were maybe 5,000 geese left. The eagles feasted on the carcasses of the ones that didn't make it. I can't believe that many birds just hauled out at one time. The sound was impressive. I'll try to post a video in a few days.

D.

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