Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Thousands of Snow Birds in the Skagit Valley!
Have you ever visited the Skagit Valley during the winter to see the snowbirds? We did last week and discovered thousands of swans (trumpeter and tundra though I’m hard pressed to tell the difference) and snow geese, much easier to identify with the black feathers and markings. These visitors come all the way from Wrangell Island, Russia for the winter.
Can you hear the sound as they take flight? It was marvelous.
I’ll save the dozens of eagles we saw for later, more than I’ve ever seen in one place.
I was in bird heaven. 🙂
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
These snowbirds always stop in the Vancouver area as well. So I’ve seen them many times. They are amazing. The first time I saw them in a field I thought it had snowed.
Truly, they are a sight to behold! I’ve seen them before but later in the season, so not this many at once.
Beautiful photos, Susanne! I would love to see and hear the flock lift off. I’ve never been to your state.
Thanks so much!! It was a thrill to see them!
You’re welcome, Susanne. ☺️
Wow, that is truly impressive, Susanne! What great captures! Years ago when I lived in Sacramento, we often drove to the bird sanctuaries north of Sacramento. Here we would see the Canadian Geese in their winter home and I swear the scenes looked like yours! And they were loud too! I didn’t have a camera back in those days. I bet you had fun!
Thanks so much, Terri! It was thrilling to see so many swans and geese and ducks and birds in huge numbers! I’ve never seen so many before, as I’ve gone later in the year when the daffodils are in bloom and the birds have started heading back north. Next year, I’ll go again in early winter and stay longer! 🙂
Great photos Susanne. What a sight and the snowy mountains make a great backdrop.
Thanks, Graham. It was awesome!
That must be a sight to see indeed. I suppose the Eagles arrive in numbers to feed on the geese? I have read that American Eagles are quite capable of killing geese.
Best wishes, Pete.
I think the eagles come down mainly for the salmon in the Skagit River. But I did see a photo someone posted of an eagle with a snow goose in its clutches. 😦 Not a pretty sight but the eagle is definitely the top predator in the sky.
Astonishing. Thanks for sharing the sights with us. I had no idea that they stopped off there.
So glad you enjoyed it! Lots of snowbirds come to the Skagit Valley during the winter and it’s a sight to behold! 🙂
Wow! What a sight!
It really was!! 🙂