Canadian Geese flying north?

I live in Ontario, Canada, and usually every year around this time, the geese gather together and fly south in groups.

Today, however, I found their behaviour to be extremely odd.

Around 4:30pm my fiancee, daughter, and I heard the sound of what were thousands (literally) of geese flying in one direction, all together. Except that's not the weird part.

Usually they fly south for the winter months. This entire month though, I have noticed the geese flying north. I figured at first they were possibly heading to their meeting spot before taking off in their usual direction in groups, but have not seen a single goose fly in the direction facing south. When I saw the amount of geese we witnessed today flying in the wrong direction, it sparked some serious interest.

Can anyone give me insight as to why these geese may have been going the wrong way? I know we are not inaccurate as to the direction we were watching them fly. Is everything that is happening with the weather changes seriously affecting our wildlife to that extent?

Below is a photo I took with my cellphone when it happened, they were all forming odd shapes like this as they flew. The sky seems dark as it gets dark earlier here in the winter months (especially since the daylight savings time took effect last week).



Edit to add: In the span of 10 minutes, we witnessed these thousands of geese flying north.

Funny you should mention it cuz I was talking to my buddy here in Oregon about it and I started noticing the same thing 2 years ago, but this year there are more numbers going the wrong way (West the last time). We also think they are making unusual noises. We have both grown up familiar with geese formation and calls, but this is a bit odd.
Someone told me that they change direction while flying, as a response to weather changes, seeking their final destination for the season. Maybe they don't just fly N and S in a straight line, so to say?

I took a video I am trying to upload to my laptop, it's a piece of crap so it might take me a bit.

Well that's interesting. Cool picture, too!

reply to post by andriod


are there any lakes near you because theres a lake near my house, last fall they were flying there from every direction, if its a good place for them to rest for awhile

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


They seem to be in larger numbers, and I agree, their goose calls have been different.

I noticed they tend to gather at a local park that's almost a 20 minute walk from my place, but at night time, I can hear them perfectly from my balcony over all the continuous highway traffic (at one a.m. of all times) just chanting away! It's bizarre!

Interesting, I am going to have to keep an eye on the geese.

Now to wait for someone to tally up the number of geese in the photo.

They stop at water for the night and usualy circle around to get to it, which makes it look like they are flying in teh wrong direction.

But hey, if they want to stay in Canada thats fine too, we have enough, lol.

I'm in the Pacific NW and, while I can't say I've noticed them flying the wrong way, I have noticed birds are here much later than usual. I was just saying this yesterday. We have the usual summer birds still that I normally stop seeing around mid-October.

I just figured it was because of my ultra-sweet waterfall I installed but I refuse to take the blame for throwing off the entire bird migration cycle.

Really though, it did seem a bit late this year.

reply to post by andriod


Greetings to a fellow Ontaronian! I've noticed that over the past few years actually, and read a theory that made some sense on here, stating that the birds would see distant city lights and confuse it for the setting sun ... it makes some sense anyway. Then again, why would they not have done that for years, since city lights have been so bright for decades and decades.

They're a depressing topic this year for me, the story began with hearing a co-worker and family hunting 23 of them between them. (I'm vegetarian, none of that has appeal .. hung up on the fact that they mate for life). And that ended with the Wasaga incident, which is the next town over from Collingwood where I'm at. |I hope they end up where they're going, but an awful lot of bird die-off's are happening lately, in the past few years, so if they have to suffer cold over hunters or wi-fi, or HAARP, or whatever it is that's destroying bird populations, I wish them happy refuge. Sorry for the gloomy topics, they are realistic.

up here in Northern MN, Ive noticed the same behavior, its not just you, Ive seen some large numbers of them flying north, and other days Ive seen them flying south.

I am glad it's not just me, at first I thought I was delusional. I had to ask my fiancee if we actually were facing north, the direction they were flying. After looking at a map, I'm right.

But them being in a group of literally thousands was quite the sight. My daughter is a year old, it was the first time she has ever witnessed that, and her mind was blown!

reply to post by TheReasonableSkeptic


As for the amount of geese in the photo, there are plenty that are not visable in the lens that were visable with the naked eye. That's just one shot of the 10-minute display these guys gave us.

I wish I had more time to take more photos. I also wish my electronics would decide to cooperate for once (my laptop is ancient) so I can upload this video for you guys!

I've seen geese fly North instead of South in the Winter. It does happen.

I read that all types of geese don't migrate, some do and some don't. I don't know if that is true or not.

So, I presume we are talking "Canadian Geese" which do migrate.

Some possible ideas as to why they may be headed North instead of South:

1. Electromagnetic disturbances (recent solar flares cause these). Their inner radar depends on electromagnetics.

2. They will head to "warmer" climates so perhaps it is warmer North of them. If it's temporary, they may head South later on. Maybe the head Goose decided it was too early to head South.

3. EXTREME drought down here in Texas and many other Southern States. There's no food for them when they get here. They used to gather in rice fields after a harvest and clean up the remains. Rice farms are generally irrigated; but, lakes and water reservoirs are drying up severaly here so many rice farmers MIGHT have skipped planting this year.

reply to post by andriod
There used to be a lot of talk on ATS about compasses going wacko-- around the time that the airport in Florida re-painted lines due to magnetic North migrating, etc. Just wondering... got a compass handy? With all of the funky magnetosphere goings on, could there be a (temporary) glitch in which way the compass needle points to as North? If I remember correctly, birds and bees navigate with a magnetic sense, so to speak.

reply to post by new_here


Interesting theories from you and the poster above you.

I do not own a compass (and quite frankly, I am not too sure where to buy a decent one around my area). I wish I did though.

Strange I was just talking with a guy I just met about the same thing. I watched a large flock at high altitude for geese flying NW. I've watched geese fly south my entire life, they always fly somewhat in a Southerly direction and in a V pattern with the tailing geese swithching position with the leading geese. I have not seen any decent V patterns at all this fall and they look like they are flying in confused pattern. Hmmmm

They are just resting, before the big flight, they have a good spot and comes in from all directions.

In a couple of days they will take of, the more birds the better.
Each one is saving energy for the other, by flying in formation using the draft from the bird ahead.

They are not lost because of a pole switch, or anything else.

Just found some info, it's kind of normal.

Many birds, including waterfowl like the geese, gather in large flocks in "staging areas" before they start on their journey southward. Depending on where they have summered, they may have to fly north, east or west to reach the staging area. Once gathered, all of the birds in a flock head south for the winter. Some, like the waterfowl of New England, only go a short distance, wintering in the marshes along the Delaware shore. Other birds go farther south, to Florida or even South and Central America.

answers.yahoo.com...

i noticed the same thing last fall, i was driving home from work, looked up and saw the geese. then i realized that i was driving south and they were flying north. i wondered why myself.

I have a theory about why large flocks of geese are headed into Ontario right now... it's the bean and seed corn harvest that's been going on non-stop right now. We've had some good dry weather and the fields are prime for taking in crops lately.

This always leaves a lot of food (spillage from the combines) lying around and the geese love that.

Just a theory, mind you, but when I'm out driving around the countryside in SW Ontario (which is mostly crop farming), I'm seeing a lot of Canada Geese in the fields.