Evening Geese. Central Valley, California. February 5, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A large flock of geese takes to the air in evening light

Each day among these migratory birds moves through a kind of cycle, with variations that eventually become familiar but which don’t become any less compelling or exciting. It typically starts with a pre-dawn drive and arrival at a likely spot to find them — preferably in fog! It is always thrilling to catch the first sight and sound of the birds. The day continues, likely passing from fog to hazy sunshine, as the birds tend to settle into midday routines. Sometime after lunch it is (almost always) time for a break, but the work resumes by mid-afternoon. At first things happen slowly, but as evening approaches the pace picks up – more birds coming and going, more frequent take-offs, light that evolves in beautiful ways — and before long it is sunset and then dusk.

Early morning and evening are times of daily transition for the birds, so there is often a lot of action. Although a mass take-off can occur at almost any time if something sets off the flock, they become more likely and more impressive in the evening. They also become more difficult to photograph! As light fades and the subject becomes more interesting, the photographic challenges of low light increase. Rather than giving in to the dimming light I often take a different approach and embrace the motion blur, following the general mass of birds but allowing the fine details to soften and merge.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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