Two days ago in late afternoon I was at one edge of a pond when I heard the excited calling of some Canada Geese that were on land at the far edge of the pond and hidden behind some phrags where I couldn’t see them. A man walking his dog had made the geese nervous and from their calling I suspected they were about to take off from their hiding spot behind the phrags and land on the pond to avoid the approaching dog.
I was right.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is a fairly tight crop of one of the geese just before ‘he’ landed on the pond. I think the photo’s interesting for a couple of reasons. Normally, with the left wing in this position, his head, neck and upper body would be in deep shade and show little detail but with the sun so low in the late afternoon those parts of him are well-lit, which I like.
But mostly I like the photo because his posture fools my eye into thinking that he’s just touched down on what appears to be a thin layer of ice. His foot position, including the flatness of the bottom of his right foot, leads my eye to believe that he’s just touched down on the ice – when in reality there’s no ice directly below him (the ice is further away) and he’s still more than a foot above the water. To me it looks like he’s walking more than he’s flying.
Then, once I realize he’s still quite a distance above the water, it almost looks to me like he’s levitating.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is the previous photo in the burst, taken less than 1/10th of a second before the first photo above. The goose in question is the one on the left and as you can see, he’s still at least a foot above the water.
Somehow, the thought of a levitating 10 lb. goose amuses me.
Ron
I can appreciate a 10lb levitating goose. Much better than our two 55# dogs who levitate from the floor into our laps at the least thing.
I miss having a dog – levitating or not.
Would you like one? My foster goes up for adoption tomorrow. 😉🐶
It is always fun to catch a levitating bird, they are magical about having the ability!
I think you’re right, April. Flight itself is close enough to levitating to be magical.
A mystic among geese! 😉
Also smiling this morning at reading that you are on the mend.
Thanks, Michael. Getting there.
So glad you’re starting to feel better, Ron. ❤️ Wonder if you had RSV, given the respiratory symptoms you’ve described.
Love the levitating goose shot! And his buddies. 😃 Wonder if you could fool Penn & Teller by levitating a 10 lb. goose. 😉
“Wonder if you had RSV”
That’s a possibility too, Marty. At this point I care less about what it was and more about getting it completely behind me.
❤️
Lots of smiles here this morning. Thank you. And I am very, very glad to read that you are finally getting better.
Thanks on both counts, EC. No one’s happier that I’m beginning to feel better than little old me.
Sensational shots!
Thanks.
Love this! Caught In midair! Such a clear photo. Despite the fact that geese are such a pain here In Columbus, I still love them especially when they’re in “the wilds”!
Geese can be a pain here too, Beth. But I like having them around, a lot – unless I’m walking in their poop.
Love the levitating goose!
Good. Thanks, Kathryn.
We have hundreds of them here on two of our lakes so I am so used to seeing them take off and land that I immediately see these as take offs, but can see where you could picture it standing on the ice.
Excellent shots and really like the solo one. I have taken their photos many times taking off, but never have though of focusing on a single one. You have just given me a new challenge to work on.
“You have just given me a new challenge to work on.”
Good. Challenges are how we improve but we have to endure the frustrations they present too.
Great captured moment! Glad you are on the mend and you felt up to venturing out.
Thanks, Brett. That day I spent most of my time shooing from my tripod in the cold. Don’t think I’ll do that again until I’m completely over this bug.
VERY funny! 🙂 Levitating a 10 lb. goose WOULD be quite a feat! Luv the shot – wild combination of body parts and positions not to mention getting light on the gooses face.
+8 at the moment and will start dropping later in the day to do the sub-zero thing over the next few days with little snow here – sighhhhh Take what we can get.
Joe has Type A Influenza and coughing the main issue. 🙁 Sounds like what you had – doing inhaler and cought pills at night. Doesn’t need that.
Thanks, Judy.
Hmmm, maybe it IS what I had (and am still recovering from). I tested negative for Covid twice so, could be. The coughing was awful and made my intercostal muscles so sore I didn’t even want to breathe. They’re still sore but finally getting better.
Please forward my very best wishes to Joe. No fun, no fun at all.
May be – Joe says he hurts in whole upper body. Cough can last for weeks I guess even tho virus is gone😥
“Cough can last for weeks”
I’ve heard the same thing. So far it’s been 18 days for me but the cough finally started getting better, slowly, four days ago. I hope Joe has better luck and that you avoid getting it.