Canada Goose in flight

Monday was a sunny day at James McFaul Environmental Center in Wyckoff and the Canada Geese were out in force.  This guy is about to come in for a landing in the pond.  The posture of this leg-banded bird reminds me of the Aflac duck, ungainly yet somehow graceful. 

Below is a different bird, landing.  The wingspan of a Canada Goose ranges from 51 to 70".  These water-loving birds are monogamous, can weigh 12-14 pounds when fully grown, and have a lifespan of 10 to 24 years.

 

 Both photos were shot with my Nikon D300s and Nikkor 70-200mm VRII 2.8 lens at 1/250s at f/6.3, ISO200.

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