"In wilderness is the preservation of the world. The wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit. As civilization advances, it takes its toll on the land, and in return, we lose a part of ourselves. It is in the wild places that we find our truest selves, where we reconnect with the pulse of life that exists beyond the constraints of man-made borders."
— Edward Abbey
It's Spring!
With temperatures dipping into more seasonable 30s and 40s, the tiger beetle parade has gone into hiatus. But Nature always offers a trade-off, and right now, migratory waterfowl are at their peak. With that in mind, Saturday seemed like the perfect opportunity to visit Goose Pond near Arlington, Wisconsin, where the sight and sound of Tundra Swans create one of the most breathtaking spectacles of the early spring season.
Goose Pond was alive with waterfowl, with several hundred Tundra Swans and well over 1,000 Greater White-fronted Geese dominating the scene. Canada, Cackling, Snow, and Ross’s Geese were also present, though I didn't detect any Trumpeter Swans. The variety of ducks was impressive, including American Wigeon, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Scaup, Gadwall, Bufflehead, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, and more. On the north side of the pond, a Northern Harrier and a Northern Shrike made appearances, while flocks of American Tree Sparrows flitted about. One lucky birder even spotted a Short-eared Owl.
Like other waterfowl, the swans are making the most of their stopover at Goose Pond, but soon they'll push northward toward their next staging area in southern Ontario. By late April, they'll be scattered across the prairie provinces, and by mid-May, many will have reached their breeding grounds in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Swans, ducks, and geese often flap their wings after preening as a way to realign their feathers, shake off excess water, and ensure their plumage is in optimal condition. Preening spreads oils from their uropygial gland, which helps waterproof and condition their feathers, but it can also leave them slightly disheveled. The wing-flapping helps settle everything back into place, keeping their feathers smooth and aerodynamic for flight. It may also serve as a form of stretching or a display of vigor, especially in social settings. Naturally, this is an opportunity for photography, but this one was too close to get the full wing spread:
There was much chin scratching ...
And preening ...
And even more preening ...
Swimming ...
And more swimming ...
Ye leg and wing stretch ...
And, here we go!
Plenty of frame-space this time ...
Ta da!
A lone Greater White-fronted Goose attempts to consort with the swans ...
As the wind and water settled into stillness and the sun dipped lower in the west, the reflections of the swans grew more striking—mirrored forms gliding across the glassy surface, bathed in the last warm light of the day.
Barely kept this one framed!
As the last light of the day slipped away, hundreds upon hundreds of waterfowl swept into the pond, their wings cutting through the air like a final flourish. Their calls peacefully clamored long after sunset, a chorus that lingered in the cooling evening. There's something almost sacred about these moments—when Nature's rhythm continues to unfold, even as the world around it falls into quiet.
All images © 2025 Mike McDowell