The Geese Return

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Nature
Biodiversity
Edward Hessler

What follows in words and photographs is The Geese Return, one of the essays from Aldo Leopold's conservation classic, A Sand County Almanac.

This is the first sentence: One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of a March thaw, is the spring. 

Using the rule of five fingers, I must add the next four sentences: A cardinal, whistling spring to a thaw but later finding himself mistaken, can retrieve his error by resuming his winter silence.  A chipmunk, emerging for a sunbath but finding a blizzard, has only to go back to bed.  But a migrating goose, staking two hundred miles of black night on the chance of finding a hole in the lake, has no easy chance for retreat.  His arrival carries the conviction of a prophet who has burned his bridges.

To begin the slide show click on the arrow following 1-39 under the introductory comments. The segments which make up the essay may be read below the slide show. Included are some photographs of Mr. Leopold.

If you are not familiar with A Sand County Almanac and would like to know more see here.