When the Wetlands Freeze Over

I made a quick trip down to the Spring Bluff Forest Preserve this afternoon.  It was 28°F, overcast, and windy - not an ideal day for birdwatching.  At first I only saw the usual: herring and ring-billed gulls.  Then the Canadian geese started flying in.
If you couldn't tell from the title of this post, the wetlands are frozen over and are also covered in last night's snow.  I've seen geese almost every single outing I've made since I started this project, but today their behavior was especially interesting to watch.  I could tell by their approach that each group was aiming for the wetlands but then veered off into the harbor when they realized there was no open water to land in.  I watched this several times over: the first flock of 10, another of 7,  then 8, 10, four, and a pair of stragglers.  In addition to what appeared to be last minute course changes, they were all flying in from the west which I found a bit odd.  If they're migrants, you might think they would have approached from the north.  But it turns out it's not uncommon for Canadian geese to be migrating in the "wrong" direction.  There's also a good chance that they were all residents simply looking for a place to settle in for the night.  Either way, it's a good thing the North Point Marina was finally certified through the Illinois Clean Marina Program in March of last year.  This entire area is an important stopover for dozens of migratory and resident bird species, so I'm glad a clean area is available to use as a backup when the wetlands freeze over.

Spring Bluff Forest Preserve

North Point Marina