Chico CA Snow Goose Festival

Snow Geese

The Chico Snow Goose Festival celebrates the annual winter waterfowl migration in California's North Sacramento Valley.

Millions of geese, ducks, swans and other birds visit the Sacramento Valley from as far away as the Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia, making the valley the most important wintering area along the great Pacific Flyway.

Geese, swans, ducks, and sandhill cranes have been spending their winters in the Sacramento Valley for thousands of years.

Waterfowl and shorebirds migrate south on all the U.S. flyways, but on other routes cold weather keeps them on the move. In the Sacramento Valley, mild winters allow the birds to stay in one area, creating a viewing opportunity nowhere else available.

The Festival features dozens of field trips and workshops that range out into six counties. The field trips spread out into the rice fields, wildlife refuges, and river walks where mild winter weather, abundant food and lots of water draw the avian arrivals.

Local wildlife naturalists lrad field trips to educate participants about waterfowl and other migratory birds. In rice fields and on refuges, birding experts describe how to pick out a swan from a goose from a duck. Other field trip leaders will focus on sand hill cranes and their dancing behavior.

Some trips are scheduled around fly-offs when thousands of snow geese take off as they move to a new feeding. Observers are likely to find ducks and geese as trip leaders have scouted out the best viewing sites.

The Festival also celebrates plant and animal life in the North Sacramento Valley. There are programs on wildlife and habitats in addition to rice fields and refuges.

Some field trips explore habitats including vernal pools, grasslands, nature preserves and even hiking in scenic Sutter Buttes.

Festival workshops explore nature photography, beginning birding, birds of your backyard, watchable wildlife, wood ducks, decoy duck carving, and other wildlife-related activities. Also featured are wildlife art exhibits and nature displays.

A Friends of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge webcam provides views of a seasonal wetlands pond with migrating waterfowl and raptors. 

For more information, or visit the Snow Goose Festival website at www.snowgoosefestival.org.

North American Snow Goose Populations

Snow Geese

Populations of snow geese, blue geese, and Ross’s geese in North America, collectively referred to as “light geese,” have grown to record levels over the past three decades, according to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

USFWS biologists theorize that the overabundance of light geese is harming arctic tundra breeding habitat, which could have negative impacts on light geese and other bird species that depend on these areas.

Since 2009 hunters have had the opportunity to pursue snow geese during the spring as a result of a special management action referred to as a “Conservation Order” allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The measure was adopted at the recommendation of federal and state wildlife scientists in response to concerns about a growing number of snow geese across North America.

Eight states in the Atlantic Flyway (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Vermont) will hold a Spring Snow Goose Conservation Order in 2014.

source: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Best Areas to View Snow Geese in New Jersey

Snow Geese

The following is a summary of the best areas in New Jersey to view snow geese:

Northern Jersey

In Northern Jersey, snow geese often winter at Merrill Creek Reservoir. These flocks typically exceed 15,000 birds in January and can build to over 75,000 birds in late winter. Merrill Creek Reservoir flocks may cover a wide area during daily feeding forays. Feeding snow geese are usually found from Belvidere to Washington to Clinton to Flemington.

Central New Jersey

Snow goose flocks typically total 5-10 thousand birds in central New Jersey. Flocks in this region are seen feeding in fields in an area from Cranbury to Roosevelt to Wrightstown to Burlington.

Delaware Bay

Delaware Bay tidal marshes and nearby inland farm fields attract the highest numbers of snow geese in New Jersey. During the Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey in early January, researchers may estimate 100,000 light geese in these areas.

Delaware Bay flocks feed, roost and loaf in the tidal marshes yet often make inland field feeding flights primarily into Salem and Cumberland Counties. At times, flocks range as far inland as Mullica Hill, Turnersville and Franklinville.

Southern New Jersey
Snow geese can be found in and around Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville. Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey counts from early January are typically about 5,000 birds in this region.

source: NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife

Abundance of Geese Expected Along Atlantic Flyway

light geese

An abundance of geese and other waterfowl are expected to migrate along the Atlantic Flyway this season.

According to Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the number of breeding Atlantic Population Canada geese were significantly higher during the spring of 2011, increasing from approximately 154,000 pairs in 2010, to 194,800 pairs this season.

Although the number of pairs increased, a cold spring on the Ungava Peninsula contributed to a slightly reduced nesting effort, with fewer eggs laid compared to a normal nesting year.

Light geese are also expected to be abundant. Greater and lesser snow geese and Ross's geese are collectively referred to as "light geese". These birds have become so abundant that they are causing harm to wetland habitats throughout their range.

Birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts that wish to support wild populations of waterfowl can purchase a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp).

Federal Duck Stamps are available at most U.S. Post Offices, National Wildlife Refuges, and some DNR sport license agents. Federal Duck Stamps can also be purchased by calling toll-free 1-800-DUCK499, 1-800-STAMP24 or order online at www.duckstamp.com.