Spring Must be near

[jet_man1969]

I bet a seen at least a thousand canadian geese in different flocks flying due north in the the classic v formation Today.

[NumberCruncher]

nothing will scare the crap outta you like 17 geese honking in unison, directly overhead, while you're not paying attention.

they got me yesterday at work while out back for a smoke.

b@stards!!!

[Guest Oscar]

Never forget the invisible targets on our heads.

[jet_man1969]

Never forget the invisible targets on our heads.

 

The ones I was watching were so high You could hardly see them. The only thing i could think abut is the DAMAGE they do when a airplane hits them.

[Guest Oscar]

The ones I was watching were so high You could hardly see them. The only thing i could think abut is the DAMAGE they do when a airplane hits them.

 

Ya, and that.

[NumberCruncher]

i just hate the honking.

[jet_man1969]

i just hate the honking.

 

unless you have been drinking grey goose

[chindog]

I wish they would take the flock that has established permanent residence at the pond by my office. They make the parking lot a mine field to maneuver through. And, the sidewalks are almost impassable. Those things poop more than any creature I have ever seen.

[aberdeen]

I couldn't believe all of the geese we saw today! There were 7 Vs, one right after another, but each at different altitudes. It was totally incredible. We were on the intersections of 120 and 278 when we saw them all, but had to drive on. I can't imagine how many more would've appeared if we didn't have to drive away.

 

How crazy! (Thanks for opening this topic). I even had to look up geese and the V formation to learn more about their flights. Very interesting!

 

Scientists have determined that the V-shaped formation that geese use when migrating serves two important purposes:

 

First, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest. The authors of a 2001 Nature article stated that pelicans that fly alone beat their wings more frequently and have higher heart rates than those that fly in formation. It follows that birds that fly in formation glide more often and reduce energy expenditure (Weimerskirch, 2001).

 

The second benefit to the V formation is that it is easy to keep track of every bird in the group. Flying in formation may assist with the communication and coordination within the group. Fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.