Melfort Migrastory

FTLComm - Melfort - Saturday, April 20, 2002

Snow geese and Black Brandt geese (likely the same species) are arctic tundra dwellers, smaller than the huge Canada geese but about the same size as the lessor Canada. As spring proceeds Northward each year these travelers follow along behind the melting snow then do the opposite in the fall when they work their way South. Each year they seem to like to set up came for a while in the Kinistino area. This spring Kinistino's marshes and

sloughs are mostly dry and although they sometimes drop in on ponds between Star City and Melfort they usually like to come to ground well West of Melfort. Yesterday afternoon about 5:00 these pictures are taken in sequence and you can see the clouds of formations over the South side of the city as they are heading Eastward looking for some water to land upon. The picture below was taken half way between the 6 - 3 junction and Melfort with the camera pointed upward through the windshield.

Two miles West of Melfort this little pond was covered (top of page same pond) as each bird and his or her mate relaxed and watched as friends and relatives circled over head. Three weeks from now they should be North of the tree line setting up nests for this year's summer homestead on the flat wind swept reach of Canada's sub-arctic.