Today I drove an hour to reach Merrill Creek Reservoir, a 650-acre lake built by electric companies in New Jersey a few miles north of I-78 near the Pennsylvania border. At this time of the year, the ice covered lake is a resting point for snow geese on their northern migration. Thousands of them converge on the ice presenting a unique sight as they fly in and out, or just stand on the ice resting.
I had barely gotten out of my car when a wave of hundreds of snow geese came in. I grabbed my camera and aimed it skyward. There were all kinds of formations, from the traditional V to some very convoluted shapes. During the time I was there, about an hour, two more waves came in and a birder told me that they flew in from the nearby Delaware River.

Snow geese flying toward Merrill Creek Reservoir.

Snow geese V formation
On the ice there were thousands of snow geese gathered in a thick line maybe a quarter mile in length.

Snow Geese on Merrill Creek Reservoir
There was also a bald eagle patrolling nearby.

Bald eagle in front of snow geese
Once in a while the geese all fly up at once. It is a sight not to be missed, and my camera and lens cannot truly capture the wonder of this spectacle of nature.

Snow geese flying up

Snow geese flying up
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