Barely Not Too Fat to Fly
Location: Roberts Island, Heisig Homestead
Created: 03/23/2015, 5:55:29 PM
Camera: EOS Canon 5D iii
Lens: EF 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM
Aperture: f/4.0 ; 1/5000 sec.; ISO 4000
In the heart of the San Joaquin Delta, 'Specks' have long taunted me while gorging on emerging young wheat shoots each Spring before they migrate thousands of miles back to Canada.
To me, they appear more distinguished and wilder than other geese. Their speckled bellies are one of the hallmarks that make these birds my favorite; in jest, their chest markings resemble a cross between a zebra and a cheetah. The two birds in this flock with the fewest belly markings are the only juveniles.
This season, I kept hoping to capture some of their elegance. Just finding them is a challenge. This field held geese, but I had little success for three consecutive days, failing at every sunset. On the fourth evening, the God of light was with me and gave me this sweet moment.
Predictably, the entire flock departed the following day, almost too fat to fly, embarking on another migration back North.
