Look Out Below -- Ross's Goose Landing at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

by Darin Volpe

Title

Look Out Below -- Ross's Goose Landing at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

Artist

Darin Volpe

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Photograph - Photography

Description

Extending its wings and adjusting its descent angle, a Ross's goose prepares to join its flock on a pond at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge.

As the late morning sun bathes the wetlands in a warm glow, the Ross's goose descends for a landing. Having spotted the perfect place to set down among the flock, its wings guide it with precision to the water's surface. The goose's legs stretch out in anticipation of contact, webbed feet ready to touch the chilly pond below while the bird's primary flight feathers curve upward. In a moment there will be a gentle splash as the bird settles in among hundreds already on the water below.

Thousands of Ross's geese make a yearly migration to the wetlands of the Merced National Wildlife Refuge in the San Joaquin Valley. These birds journey thousands of miles from the Arctic tundra in the fall to spend the winter in the relative warmth of California. By March, rising temperatures signal it's time to return to the northern shores of Canada where they will breed over the summer before starting the cycle again.

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December 24th, 2023

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