DWR Press Release
See as many as 20,000 snow geese
Delta — It’s a sight you have to see to believe: thousands of snow and Ross’ geese lifting off Gunnison Bend Reservoir amid honks and the beating of wings.
You can see this spectacle yourself on Feb. 24 and 25 at the annual Delta Snow Goose Festival. The festival will be held at and near Gunnison Bend Reservoir, just west of Delta. Admission is free.
As many as 20,000 geese—mostly snow geese—have been at the reservoir during past festivals. Except for the black tips on their wings, snow geese are pure white.
The festival is a fun activity for the whole family.
Phil Tuttle, regional conservation outreach manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says DWR biologists will set spotting scopes up, so you can get a close look at the geese. “We’ll also be available to answer any questions you have,” Tuttle says.
You can learn more about the festival at www.deltagoosefestival.com.
The best times to see the geese
The areas where you’ll see the geese vary according to the time of the day.
If you arrive in Delta early in the morning, you can watch the geese feeding in fields that surround the reservoir. Then, between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., the geese take off and fly back to the reservoir. “That’s an exciting time to be at the festival,” Tuttle says.
After landing on the reservoir, the geese usually spend the next few hours there. Then, sometime between 4 and 6 p.m., they take off again and fly back to the fields. “Watching and hearing the geese take off is a breathtaking experience,” Tuttle says.
DWR biologists will watch which fields the geese fly to. If you arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, the biologists will direct you to the fields where the geese are feeding.
Viewing tips
· Use binoculars or a spotting scope to view the geese. If you get too close to the geese, you could scare them away.
· If you pull off the road to view the geese, pull as far off the road as you can. And watch for cars.
· The weather could be cold and wet. Bring the proper clothes so you can stay warm and dry.
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- You can see thousands of snow and Ross’ geese at this year’s Snow Goose Festival.
