Caught at the Crossroads

 

A gaggle of over 100 Canadian geese (or a flock, skein, line, wedge, or nide) take a rest stop at Crystal Lake in Gray on Monday.

The annual migration of the geese occurs in fall, when the geese fly from their spring and summer homes in Canada and Alaska. Canada geese spend spring and summer from Alaska and northern Canada and some in the northern half of the US, to warmer regions as far south as Northern Mexico. They migrate at speeds from 30 to 60 mph.

Their migratory flocks vary in size depending upon the race, region, and season. Smaller geese tend to migrate in larger flocks than the larger geese do, season flocks are apt to contain more geese than early season flocks.
The altitude at which Canada geese migrate depends on weather conditions, the distance between where they depart, and arrive. Under dense low overcasts, geese may migrate only a few hundred feet above the ground. With fair skies a few have been spotted at 8,000 feet.

Their "V" formation is a formation used for flying farther. The lead bird breaks the air and stirs up updrafts at the other birds wing tips. In the up drafts, behind the birds, the birds can get 70% more distance. The outer position gives better view ahead. Lead birds change often, not because of social orders, but because of fatigue. The geese stay in the "V" shape because misalignment on drafts increase the work load.

Source: Illinois State Museum