Cardinals in January

We have many cardinals that come to our feeders.

One

Two

                               two cardinals and 1 house finch

 

Three

I saw seven one day! - but didn't catch them on the camera.

Geese in January

There have been so many Canada geese around here.  Sometimes the ponds are so full you can barely see any water!  The lake is partially frozen so the geese are "walking on the water".

Why are they called Canada geese?  Well, the “real” name for this creature is Branta canadensis in Latin.  They are not "Canadian geese", as I used to think.  Simply "Canada geese".  

We think this one was injured.  

All alone and didn't budge as we came close to it. 

Occasionally, you will see one or more white geese flying with the Canada geese.  I thought they were snow geese.  But on the monthly bird walk I go on by the college, our bird guide informed me that snow geese stay together and don't mingle with the Canada geese.  When a white goose is with the Canada geese, they are generally Ross' goose.

 The typical V formation helps with conserving energy.  "the V shape makes the flock more energetically efficient, with vortices of air created by each goose’s flapping giving some lift to the birds behind it. Second, the formation makes it easier for the geese to maintain visual contact with each other and communicate, which helps navigation and flock cohesion."-M. Soniak

They fly right by my bedroom window.

 This is the field by our home.

 Taken on a foggy day

 I know many people feel the geese are just annoying.  They do leave a lot of goose poop on the sidewalks and the farmers aren't too happy with them in their fields, but I do enjoy watching them!