Geese in Flight

     Early this afternoon I went to the Coatesville Reservoir to see what kinds of waterfowl and other wildlife was visible.  As usual, there were several hundreds of Canada geese in the middle of the lake and a few each of black ducks and mallard ducks basking in the sunlight on the woods protected, northern shore.  I didn't see much else at the time, but the geese started to lift off the lake, group after noisy group, to feed somewhere.  And, as luck would have it, they came down on the short-grass lawn of the Coatesville Country Club golf course, only a couple hundred yards away from the reservoir.   Each flock only took a minute to leave its watery roost, fly to the golf course and land on its lawn dining table.  Apparently, no golfers were out at the time.
     Each flock of Canadas, in its turn, ran across the water for several yards, into the wind for greater lift, amid much excited honking, and took flight into the wind, still bugling loudly.  Each flock continued to power into the wind for lift over the planted white pines around the lake, the country road I was sitting beside and the planted conifers and oaks on the golf course.  The lake, lawn and the sky between them was alive with noisy Canada geese.  It was inspiring to see flock after flock of geese in long lines above and beyond the trees.
     The flight of the geese was not direct between the lake and the lawn.  Because they flew into the wind, they overshot the lawn, had to come back and then turn into the wind again for better flight control while landing.  Their flight patterns were like a large S lying on its side.  And they all took off, flew and landed without collision with each other or other objects.  They are masters of group flight, as they need to be to live in their great gatherings.  The group behavior of Canada geese is always well organized, especially in flight where it needs to be for their safety in the air. 
     The masses of Canada geese on the short-grass lawn looked like an army, marching slowly forward in lines in all directions, plucking blades of grass as they went.  And when they are full, they'll go back to the lake to roost in safety, flock after flock, just as they left the water, but in reverse.
     As I was about to leave the lake area to go home, a few gangs of Canadas were leaving the lawn and returning to the lake to rest.  They landed on the water, into the wind, for better flight control, which is essential to them.  Then, suddenly, something must have frightened the geese because most of them took off from the lawn with a great roar of voices and landed on the reservoir.  The few geese still on the lawn were at attention with heads up to look around.   
     This interesting, inspiring scene was possible because of peoples' activities.  We created the lake and lawn the adaptable Canadas adjusted to and use to their own benefit.  But that scene is still wild and always exciting, no matter how many times we experience it.