As I stood at Ashland Pond recently a small flock of geese flew overhead. They honked as they wound down from the sky and prepared to land in a nearby pasture. The goose shapes passed behind the bare branches of cottonwood and oak and then floated down beyond a rise in the field. The sound died as they landed and probably began grazing. A few seconds later I look ahead to see a small creature falling out of the sky. No. It is a floating bit of white frill. Not the season for a dandelion seed or cottonwood cotton. It is an almost weightless disk of goose down. Unnecessary insulation in this warm winter.
Posted by: atowhee | January 28, 2015
HERE, AND GONE
Posted in ashland, birding, birds, ducks & geese, natural history, oregon | Tags: Canada Goose, feather, molt, PLUMAGE
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