Sunset February 17th, the first day there. The refuge count of snow geese on the 16th was 600,000 I think. By their next count on the 24th it was 1.2 million! I'd never see that many geese before. It's rather shocking just how much water 1.2 million birds cover. You sure can't convey it in a still. I'll make sure to add some video I took of it, as you get the picture as it pans.

Sunrise on the 19th of February. The snow geese had a really regular schedule that I saw. They'd already be lifting off the lake for breakfast before sunrise. Not long after the sun was up, the majority of them would be out eating. Of course if there's 1.2 million geese there, you could still have 100,000 still around on the water. Then usually by 10:30 they are filtering back in like mad. It's one of the coolest things. Some are way way up there and all it looks like is the same birds fluttering around above the flock on the water. Over a period of an hour or so, the small group on the water will have expanded outward insanely. The one day it was just nuts, probably the day the max showed up. There will be pics on the other pages of that.

Sunset on the 19th. This was the other thing they'd do rather regularly. By around 45 minutes to sunset they'd be lifting off in waves to go out and eat again. By the time the sun would actually set, you'd be left with about the same amount you were left with at day break.

A crazy sunrise on the 21st. It was so cold out. I think it was around 10F with a lovely 30 mph northwesterly wind. Out on a froze lake there's not much letting up of the wind. It seemed like it was just constant at 30 mph or so. The fingers get screwed so fast trying to run a camera in that stuff.

At least when shooting a bright sun one didn't have to mess with a tripod in that weather.

These are all that same sunrise on the 21st. There was a big ol sun pillar during most of it. This was probably the most interesting day there. This amazing sight was quickly followed by the worst slaughtering I've ever seen(not that I've seen much nature in action like that). Geese went out, the eagles went nuts on the ones that couldn't or didn't go. The eagles are a lot more active on those coldest mornings like that, that I've seen. It makes sense, as they need fuel to keep their bodies warm.

Sunrise March 4th now. This thing was sooo distorted at times. The geese are hard to see in this one. My focus was off just a hair I think.

The 4th still. This was nuts. I saw this black bird swarm on my way south, before shooting the sunset. As I left where I shot the sun come up, that swarm was starting to overtake the highway I was on. The long tube of tons of these birds moved right over me for minutes. On and on it went. I thought crap, there must be as many of you as there are snow geese.

It looked like that over the highway for so long. Their numbers were just really impressive and they were going right over me here. And it didn't look like they extended back north very far at all, but they kept coming, not sure from where.

March 5th sunrise. Hard to see but the sun's disc is behind those clouds/contrails.

And finally the sunrise on the 6th. What a joy this one was. I was here the last 3 days in a row. The only reason I was back here right now was because I lost my checkbook the day before and didn't find it at the refuge or at home. So I came back to look at the refuge some more(showed up there!). Anyway I pull onto the road I used before, right next to the highway. It was rising already so I hurry, shut the car off and mount the lens to my window. 9 minutes later(I looked at the data on the stills) I go to start my car and it wouldn't start! I thought, what the hell did I do this time. Left the damn head lights on! Nice timing to do that. What to do. I was about 1 mile from that truck stop right there. I could just ask a car going by but no, I can't stand asking for help from someone that isn't getting paid to do it. So I walk to the truck stop, but their auto center doesn't open for another 30 minutes. So I loiter where it says no loitering. I then go in and say I need a battery, because I didn't figure 9 minutes of headlights should kill the thing(nor the 20-30 minutes of inverter that killed it 3 months ago in KS). They were busy and he wasn't sure what I needed so I had to wait. He had more guys coming in, so that seemed to be what I'd wait on. I said I was willing to just carry the battery back to the car myself, even if that would be a challenge to do for a mile or so. But I wait, as he was busy. About an hour after I first get in there he says I could carry their jumper pack back there and start it and bring it back if I want, then they could look at it. Arrgh I thought, as I could have done that an hour ago. That thing wasn't much lighter than a battery. I get it jumped and drive the car back. They end up checking it out and evidently the battery was fine. They could have easily just sold me a battery. To top it off they didn't even charge me anything for any of it. Very cool.