OK. So they’re really geese. But that is the first time I have seen 15 Canada geese swimming in single file past our backyard. I could only get 12 in the shot with the zoom lens on but trust me, there were 3 more. (Click to enlarge)
The Cvillean
The adventures of little read writing Hood
The Cvillean 
It’s best not having them on the lawn as they poo lots! Do you guys go canoeing?
Whenever the geese get up on the lawn, I turn Queenie and Bella loose. You should see the feathers fly as the geese scramble back to the water. They never catch one though.
We have two kayaks and one canoe. Actually the canoe is her sister’s. Her sister lives on the other side of the lake and we occasionally go visit by watercraft. It’s much quicker to get there by bike or car obviously but if we want a little exercise it’s fun to paddle over.
Her sister and husband also have a party boat and will come by some evenings to pick us up for a ride. Unfortunately, it has been “dry-docked” this summer due to some fuel issues. Hope they have it running again next spring.
If you’d like an aerial view from Google Earth, our address is 4213 Lookout Rd. Virginia Beach, VA. You’ll see the canal in the back leading out to the lake and the Chesapeake Bay a block in the other direction. It was taken before we had the dock put in and the yard fenced in for the dogs. Her sister is at 4532 Black Cove Rd.
Wow! Stunning 🙂 The lake must once have been a backwater to the beach…. is the water fresh or salty? So jealous of where you live!!
It is spring fed fresh water. There are a surprising number of fresh water lakes in this area though there is also much ocean backwater as you suspected. I love this area, but I was raised in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State and we have lived around the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia for years before retiring so I’m kind of a mountain guy at heart.
Since Patty was a Navy brat she was raised around the ocean her whole life. When it came time to retire, I wanted to come here with her to pay her back for sticking it out with me wherever my career(s) took us. This house used to be her parents home. She and her sister own it jointly but since her sister was already set up (she married a man with a lot of family wealth) we are the occupants of the house.
I don’t imagine there is anything left of my life story that I haven’t told you through my blog or personally, but if I think of anything, I’ll get back to you.
Your sister in law’s house looks big… is it the one with the swimming pool?
Yes. Several years ago they had a much bigger house but “downgraded” when their boys grew up. The other building is her “craft” house. She is quite an accomplished artist in pottery.
Wow! Looking forward to when my girls move out so we can downgrade!!
Funny, I thought the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah (sp???) river were in West Virginia.. All John Denver’s fault!
The Shenandoah Valley is mostly in Virginia but some in West Virginia. The Blue Ridge stretch from Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and just a little into Georgia.
Aha… All makes sense now:) I guessed the mountains were big enough but the river didn’t look like it was in West Virginia at all!
PS, how on earth do the house numbers work? Black Cove Road does not have 4532 houses on it!!
Don’t ask me…..it might be a secret code of some kind….there is a lot of military in this area.
I think that’s pretty darn cool. Did Queenie notice them? There was actually some kind of duck in our woods about a month or so back, Sampson charged it and it flew off and I haven’t seen it since.
Yes, Queenie was looking out the window. It was almost as if she was deciding which one she wanted for dinner.
Everyone loves a parade! Even the geese.
They even like it when their parade gets rained on. Maybe even more.
Great shot, Al. I miss seeing birds in our yard because of where we are located and the fact that we don’t really have a yard. We had so many in Texas. Lucky you!
They used to gather in the yard more, but no so much now with Queenie on patrol.
We have Canada geese all over the place here in southern CT as you know. Never saw them in single file though. They’re very organized down there! They even look like they have a purpose.
Reminds me a little of “Angel Flight”.
Wow. never seen them do that before.
Almost looks like a shooting gallery at an amusement park doesn’t it?
It does!
Interesting. I have seen Canada Geese (should we call them Virginia geese now??) swim but never in single file. Great shot. I am so envious of your bird site. Dianne
Hi Dianne. There’s never a dull morning with the variety of birds around here. I’m starting a picture journal to catalog all the various species that show up in the yard. Being so close to the bay, we also get an occasional ocean bird here too.