I watched as this very distant coyote hunting way out on the ice approached a bald eagle eating what was left of a snow goose. It passed the eagle then turned toward it hoping to scare it away from the snow goose. As soon as it did another bald eagle, likely the mate, flew in to make its presence known. After a short time the coyote decided two against one were not the best odds and left. Rather low light and a bit OOF so quality not good at all but saving for memories since not likely I will see anything like this again. Very cool to watch! Migrating trumpeter swans on the other side of the dyke.
Sorry, more photos. Just saving from my short time at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge March 1st.

Tags:   coyote Bald Eagles Nature Wildlife Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Missouri trumpeter swans migration

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Things can get a bit crowded on takeoff. :) Needless to say, quite a few snow geese arriving. Just saw the count was 839,000! Never tire of this spectacle, both sight and sounds. And more were still coming when I left late morning. Sorry for so many and similar photos. Likely more to come. :) Some a bit OOF but still show how crazy it was on a beautiful 60°F morning.

Tags:   Snow Geese migration Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Missouri Birds Nature Wildlife

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The sky was constantly full of arriving snow geese in many levels and going different directions, dizzying to try to watch. :) Needless to say, quite a few snow geese arriving. Just saw the count was 839,000! Never tire of this spectacle, both sight and sounds. And more were still coming when I left late morning. Sorry for so many and similar photos. Likely more to come. :) Some a bit OOF but still show how crazy it was on a beautiful 60°F morning.

Tags:   Snow Geese Missouri Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Nature Wildlife blue

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UPDATE 3-8-22: SNOW GOOSE COUNT INCREASED TO 1.068,070 AFTER NEW COUNT 3/8/22. Not sure how low they will stay with heavy snow coming 3/10.

Things can get a bit crowded on takeoff. :) Needless to say, quite a few snow geese arriving. Just saw the count was 839,000! Never tire of this spectacle, both sight and sounds. And more were still coming when I left late morning. Sorry for so many and similar photos. Likely more to come. :) Some a bit OOF but still show how crazy it was on a beautiful 60°F morning.

Tags:   Snow Geese migration Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Missouri Nature Wildlife Birds

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UPDATE 3-8-22: SNOW GOOSE COUNT INCREASED TO 1.068,070 AFTER NEW COUNT 3/8/22. Not sure how low they will stay with heavy snow coming 3/10.

Rather poor quality and 'very shaky'. :-) Click the arrows in top right to see larger. Taken early in the day, so many more arrived later with much more impressive 'lift-offs', but this smaller one gives an idea how crazy the sky was at all times and in all directions for hours and hours, only a small amount in video. Many will lift off like this, fly around then land again, only to repeat it over and over. They later filled in the water much, much closer to this side of the refuge. Just can't hold steady these days especially trying to hold with my 70-200mm lens on. Sorry for the quality but hope you enjoy it anyway. :) Should have tried to brace on something, will know better in the future. I never take videos with my DSLR but had to try one to capture some of the amazing snow geese in motion to go along with the following photos. Would loved to have taken one after even more arrived but had to leave to soon.

Tags:   Snow Geese migration Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Missouri

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