The evocative call of migrating geese -- barking to each other overhead as their Vs scroll across the sky -- appears to be a mostly memory for the year. This week's Arctic blast caused hundreds of thousands of geese to bypass the heartland and head much further south than they normally would at this time.
A week ago, about 100,000 snow geese were gathered at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri, the closest refuge to Omaha where the birds were most recently seen large numbers. Refuge managers were hopeful even more would arrive as migration peaked.
But that isn't going to happen. Snow-covered fields and frozen lakes have compelled the geese search further south for friendlier resting areas on the flight to their winter quarters.
SOURCES: DeSoto Bend, Squaw Creek and Sand Lake National Wildife Refuges; Rainwater Basin Wetland Management Area.
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