In my travels have gone by this Old Wives Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary a number of times. Today there were many thousands of geese and other birds gathering and preparing for their long trek to their winter homes. It is always astonishes me how they are able to find their way is quite an amazing feat and yet they do it year after year.
Migration can be triggered by a combination of changes in day length, lower temperatures, changes in food supplies, and genetic predisposition. First-year birds often make their very first migration to their winter homes despite never having never seen it before and will make their back each season to where they were born.
The secret to their navigation skills is not really understood but birds can use a number of senses to find their way. Some of the senses are relationship to the sun and stars and earth's magnetic field, position of the sun sets and landmarks. Many follow migratory pathways related to important food and rest stop overs for their journey.
This journey is a true test of the birds physical and mental capabilities. Of which are stress of the trip, lack of adequate food supplies along the way, bad weather, and increased exposure to predators all add to the hazards of the journey.
This is just one of many stop-overs geese and other birds make on their journey. The scenery from this spot is quite amazing. Please replace cache as found, bring your own log marker, and use stealth whenever necessary.
Thanks and Enjoy...
LaDeBA...