Early this morning I could hear geese in the sky. At first, I could not see them, but after looking way up into the clouds there they were in large V shape formations heading north. Some of the biggest formations I have ever seen, maybe 400 to 500 feet in length on each wing of the formation. Even this afternoon, while watering outside plants, which is unusual for April, I could still hear the geese. They must be coming from the wildlife refuges on the Klamath Lakes with their final destination in northern Canada. It is heartwarming to see so many geese after we almost annihilated them with DDT up until 1972 when it was banned in the U.S. They might know more about what the future weather forecast holds than us humans.
A collection of stories from the life of Michael Burke. He worked for the Forest Service in Alaska, California, and Oregon. He lives in Oakland, OR. His wonderful wife, Celia, passed in May of 2021
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THE NORTH WIND
When the north wind blows in the late spring and early summer it brings hot dry weather. The green grass begins to turn brown and the fire...
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The lights from houses along the freeway were mingled through the trees in rural southern Oregon. It made me wonder what these people did ...
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My old friend Arthritis showed up last weekend and took advantage of my right knee. By Sunday afternoon I was confined to my chair in pain...
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Last night I had a wild dream of being lost in Tiller, Oregon. For those of you that have never been to Tiller, it is a small community ne...
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteI always fondly recall the flocks of Canadian geese flying in formation in the Sacramento Valley, and am grateful for the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge that likely serves as a hospitable respite site for them. I could hear the geese as I read your piece. Thank you!