Thousands of Snow Geese invaded Broadway NJ
I was driving east on route 57 near Broadway NJ. looking towards the corn field at my left. There was thousands of Snow Geese looking to land for the night. They had a problem the farmer was out there plowing up the field
cp 
Kmc138 
pmnsk 
Stuff
5catmom I went to Merrill Creek this weekend, usually there are thousands of snow geese on the water this time of year but I didn't see one....
strange.
mansfield mama Went to Oberly rd in Alpha on weekend and no birds other than crows. Maybe because no snow? Saw 3 red tail sitting on Rockport pheasant farm pens and a large number of house finch scratching there in the dirt . Slow birding here.
OP.. I was at Merrill creek the last two previous weekends. There were plenty flying over late afternoon but a birder there said they were heading a bit farther south. They should pass back through in Feb/March on the way back north and stop over there on the way. I can't confirm it but it did make sense. There was however lots on the farm field off RT 57 in Stewartsville. Makes me wonder if that is some sign on how our winter will turn out here...
Was on Asbury Anderson Road today and saw a field full of Snow Geese and Canada Geese. Always a beautiful sight!
kayaking 
3wbdwnj 
Rob Durana 
Yes we must have...it was amazing was it not? wow... and deafening when they all lifted off...and the way they dropped into the evening light.... wow...
The retention basin at the Pohatcong Walmart was absolutely mobbed with largish white birds the other day. I had assumed they were seagulls (not sure why) and I was too busy paying attention to the road to get a real close look, but they were probably snow geese as well.
ianimal 
just coach Great pictures. It is amazing to see them in flight. I would think the farmers don't care much for these visitors though.
maja 
Thank you... and kudos to you 3wbdwnj nice views. I believe this is a juvenile blue morph snow goose...
Cool! I've never seen one of those! Was he trying to go incognito among the snow geese? ;)
LOL.. if you looked around there were a few odd ones.. thought this was a Ross's goose but seems to be an adult blue morph
positive 
Clyde Potts Talk about birds of a feather sticking together ...
By the way ...
The Drifters sang a good song about Broadway, so did the Bee Gees.
Andy Loigu 
I checked out Broadway this morning. WOW... Unlike anything I have seen before. They literally filled a 100 acre farm field corner to corner!
OP 
They were definitely there, but not very active. They took off once and the sound of their thundering wings was incredible. This is a view from the Main Dam (second dam coming from the boat launch area) with a 6 stitch pano.
Most of the snow geese here right now are wintering which means they exhibit a unique behavior pattern. The bulk of the birds leave the reservoir in one large group shortly before sunrise. They usually land and feed together but as the day progresses the size of the groups diminish as they spread out. They use Merrill Creek to regroup and get warm between fields. The birds arriving from the south rest on the reservoir during the day. Almost all of the geese return to the reservoir at sunset, unless it is a full moon or very warm, in which case they will stay in the fields and fly in the dark. As we move towards February the mass migration begins. At peak NJA (New Jersey Audubon) reported as many as 175,000 birds on the water (in 2013). Currently I’d estimate about 30,000 from last night's count. The numbers are definitely going up week by week. Migration will happen early this year, most likely mid February, unless we get alot of snow.
Thanks for the information on their behavior, OP. That probably explains why you saw them in the valley at about the same time we saw them on the reservoir. Very interesting.
Nice. Didn't see any last weekend at Merrill creek. Need to go back and hopefully they will be there.
Thanks for the picture.
If anyone's interested, they are currently (10:30am, Tuesday, Jan 17) in the field on Route 31 across the street from Silver Star Deli!
Jen FYI, just spotted them on 31 at S Lincoln Avenue (across from Shoprite). They are really beautiful!
Honestyseasy The geese have been there albeit a smaller group than last year. I checked this morning, about 5000 cleared the reservior by 8am and flew over Broadway towards Spruce Run. The geese haven't favored Good Springs fields this year. I think the farmer has been over hunting.
Wednesday 2/1, "thousands" were along Anderson Road at intersection of Butler Park road !! Astounding sight,sheer numbers >
Geedo I saw them last week, on Rt57 and a few weeks before I think they are beautiful and pulled over to watch how they all flock together.
Watching which one is the leader to follow but couldn't tell. But enjoyed watching them
SAAK Yes they have been out everyday by Franklin school on asbury broadway I see them usally everyday in those fields around 230-3 pm!
Lovely271 what about Merrill Creek Reservoir? We're thinking of heading there - last year we saw and heard thousands.........
I saw them on Anderson Rd in the fields after the solar panels, on Tuesday. Yesterday, saw them on Rt 57 in Broadway, all in flight. Beautiful to see with the blue sky as a backdrop.
justwondering 
Sully 
Mike85 
Lili 
Grascal, amazing and beautiful pictures!
Would you mind sharing what type/model camera that you used, especially for your solitary shots?
AJ Moore 
Amazing sighting today at the lake in the back roads going from Andover heading to Rt 206.
JeffersonRepub They have been flying SW, very high, and then back NW the next day ir so. Thousands. As high as a goose flies, so they must be covering some distance to go that high and then down again. For about a week or two.
After the first sighting, was trying to figure out: does that mean more or less winter, but then they came back and then repeated the process a few days later so I just figured that they are staying in a couple places for awhile.
Strangerdanger Big flock was landing near Godlewski's about a week ago....thousands of birds...was incredible to watch.
Walleyed When they flyover, the entire sky is filled. Hard to do accurate count, but seems like 000's. They are so high that you can barely see or hear them. Very shiny in the sun. Must take forever to reach that altitude. That's why I say they must be going a bit of a distance even if you just figure the angle up and then the glide path down. We need an engineer to compute that at 8,000 feet --- a higher altitude for them.
Remember to wear sunglasses and keep yer mouth closed. All those geese some has to crap !!
Bob Last Tuesday afternoon they were on the pond on the North side of Anderson-Asbury Road, not far after leaving Rt. 31. A pretty glorious sight!
Phil D. 
AJMS Corn fields on Rt. 519 from Belvidere to Harmony. I've seen the flocks land right next to the road!
Gardenfish 
Grain farmers love the snows, they don't want the old corn to sprout next season. Sod farmers hate them. The bill on a snow goose looks like a cross-cut saw and frozen ground or not, they tear up an inch or two of top soil to get the roots.
Any sign of the snow geese at Merril Creek this year. Would love to see them again if they are there.
Neto I was told that all the snow keeps them away. They will be further south, where there is no snow. Not sure if that is true or not though.
whocares I saw them in early December and I think they stayed thru the New Year, then haven’t seen them since. The snow cover theory makes sense
RAS There are thousands of snow geese at Merrill Creek Reservoir. We were there today. We couldn't get close but we could see and hear them.
They have been hard to track this year due to the over hunting. They won't go near Good Springs Rd or Oberly anymore.
Snow covered fields and frozen water forced them south of this area. As their feeding areas clear of snow they’ll return.
Indie Snow geese back yesterday! Good Springs Rd. Broadway- bring your camera (and umbrella, lol)....
People do hunt them, There are so many of them that they have destroyed their summer nesting grounds. There is a conservation season for them with an unlimited bag limit to help control the population. The season and bag limits are based on scientific data. Don't worry there will still be plenty of them even after the season closes.
owl Has anyone been out to Merril Creek recently? Just wondering if the snow geese are back!
A week or so ago I had what had to have been several thousand of snow geese in my back yard.
Josh Josh, do you live near Merril Creek? That must have been amazing to see them in your yard. Hoping to get out for a hike at the weekend so I hope they are there.
Just returned from Merril Creek. Although there were a few (maybe 200) snow geese on the lake….not the spectacular sight I was hoping for. Maybe next time!
I checked them out yesterday as well. They were on Still Valley Rd, visible from 173 in Alpha- maybe a few thousand. They usually go to Oberly Rd area but it looks like farmer Joe invited every hunting club in NNJ so I wouldn't expect to see them in that area anymore- just like Good Springs Rd.
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