Autumn Has Arrived In Biddeford

I pulled my truck into my usual space at North Dam Mill, right around sunrise. As soon as I left the vehicle I heard the faint sound of Canada Geese. The Doppler effect told my ears that they were approaching, not fading away. I then sighted the rough V formation of 10 or so geese flying low, passing Rummery’s Boat Yard, up over the Main Street Bridge, and rising as they pumped their wings past the smoke stack. The cackle was like a mad tea party.  They passed the stack at the half point of its length, which put them at about 150 feet high off the river. What amazed me is that their loose formation split in two at the stack: 4 or five skimmed over the North Dam parking lot and 4 or 5 took the river route.

The flying V always reminds me of teamwork.  It probably stems from my childhood love of the film The Mighty Ducks, but never the less a good reminder we can all use.

“Fact: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the birds that follow. By flying in V formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.”

Autumn has arrived in force.