What a Change at MCWA

I decided that I would take a short trip to Middle Creek Wildlife area on Thursday afternoon Feb 25 to see if any migrating waterfowl had shown up yet. Turns out most of the lake was still frozen and and I ended the day with only 23 species - there where very few tundra swans and very few snow geese present - as can be seen from the photo's below.

Looking east from Stop 1 on tour road....lake 80% frozen

Looking West across lake - still mostly frozen

I made a return trip today, Saturday, Feb 27 and what a difference. The Pa Gane Commission estimated that about 80,000 snow geese arrived in the last two days and more are still arriving. There is also several thousand Tundra swans, 100's of Pintails and Wigeons and several Ba;d Eagles.

looking east from the boat ramp ....all those white spots are about 3,000 Tundra Swans.

Another view from boat ramp....that's not snow cover in the distant fields - it's about 50,000 snow geese feeding.

The tour road opens March 1 and I expect that I will be posting some more photo's of all the snow geese and tundra swans still present. It is a s site to behold, when they all take flight.

Here a shot of several thousand snow geese arriving at the lake..all those little specs are actually snow geese. A little bit of Spring like weather and everyone is happy - including the migrating waterfolw.

Not all that wander are lost.