The Charles River White Geese

I have been photographing the Charles River White Geese since 1985 or so. Here are some of my favorite images of these wonderful creatures. The earlier images are scans of 35mm negatives, slides, or prints. I have many more in my archives and will add more favorites to the site as time allows. I went digital in 2002, and most of the images presented here are in this format, shot with a variety of Nikon ZLRs.

Click on the thumbnail at left for an enlarged image; most are in 1024x768 size. Hit "BACK" in your browser to return to this page. Please be patient: this site is graphics-intensive and if you are a non-DSL user it will take some time to load. I hope you enjoy viewing the photos as much as I did taking them! Feel free to send me Email.

Click here to go further down the page to view general Charles River scenes and images of some of its other inhabitants.

This photograph was taken in the summer of 1987. On 35mm film using a long telephoto lens. This photograph was taken March 1, 1990, a wide angle shot of the bridge and its neighbors. The flock numbered about 18 individuals at this time.

A spectacular sunset forms the backdrop for this photograph, taken Nov. 21, 2003 Differences of opinion among members of the flock are openly debated. This photograph was taken Christmas Day 2002.

Eloquent evidence of their presence, November 2002. This photograph was taken in an early season snowstorm, November 2002.

Among the wonders to be seen at river's edge are the amazing "feather trees", made possible by dead weeds, high winds, and loose white goose down. This photograph was taken on December 22, 2003 This was the nesting area in the lee of the BU Bridge in April, 1990.

This peaceful twilight photograph comes from the summer of 2003. This photograph was taken in May of 2002 and shows some of the many goslings born that Spring.

Some more of the 2002 goslings with their faithful mother goose. Following mom, May 2002.

This photograph was taken June 18, 2003 and shows two of the year's few goslings several weeks old. More of the 2003 goslings.

This photograph was taken June 2003. Here are two of the first goslings hatched in 2004. This photograph was taken April 19.

Here's a nice close-up of the same pair taken five days after the one above. "What did you say?" This photograph was taken in November 1997.

This photograph was taken on a drab January afternoon in 2004. Note the iridescence where beads of rain on their quite waterproof feathers have reflected the camera flash in lovely lights. Flocking in sunlit waters, November 2002.

"That feels good!" This photograph was taken in Nov. 2002. Two pals. Late November 2002.

Two pals, September 14, 2003 "Bumpy" the goose. This photograph was taken in November 1997

A goose-eye view of things on the river I. Sept.2003. A goose-eye view of things on the river II. Sept.2003.

A goose-eye view of things on the river III. Sept.2003. A goose-eye view of things on the river IV. Sept.2003.

A goose-eye view of things on the river V. Sept.2003. A goose-eye view of things on the river VI. Sept.2003.

This photograph was taken at a cold November sunset in 2003. Feeding time on a cold winter's day after an early snowstorm, November 27, 2002.

Walking on the ice under the BU bridge, December 8, 2003. On the nest in a sudden late-season snow squall, March 12, 2004.

My dog and I were frequent vistors along the river in the '80's and early '90's. This photograph dates to April 1990 Meeting of the minds, April 1990.

Lots of personality, September '03. Gliding into the water in a very pleasant spot, Sept. 2003.

The geese spend much time bathing and preening. Sept. 2003. On the nest at the Grand Junction Railroad, May 25, 2002.

Browsing on Magazine Beach in brilliant Autumn sunlight. This photograph was taken on Oct. 15, 2003. Whiter than usual in an early November snowstorm, 2002.

Winter night-time at the meadow, December 2004 Winter night-time at the meadow, December 2004

New life in the goose meadow, May 2005 New life in the goose meadow, May 2005

Stretching wings in the snow, March 2004 At repose in the winter river, March 2004

With an armed US Army ROTC escort, March 2004 Winter's dusk, Feb 2005

Family pecking order, so to speak, June 2007 Mother and child, April 29, 2006

Silhouettes in an early Spring twilight, framed by the arch of the BU bridge. This photograph was taken on April 20, 1990. I couldn't resist adding this sketch to the gallery. It is the work of a seven-year old friend and depicts her impression of a white goose with passers by observing from the BU Bridge. The geese and children are a natural combination!

Other Charles River Creatures and Scenes

The Charles River has been a favorite haunt of mine for many years. Here are a few of my favorite images, shot from Watertown down through the basin and the harbor dam.

	This photograph of a majestic Great Blue Heron was taken at the dam in Watertown in June 2004. The herring run is an event which draws fishers of all kinds, from human to avian. The day I took this image I saw three species of heron and innumerable - and aptly named - herring gulls, and a lone black-backed gull.
	I took this photograph in the summer of 1976 on the Boston side looking west toward Kendall Square. Lots of changes to Cambridge's skyline in the intervening 28 years!
	This photo shows the area along the former Grand Junction Railroad right-of-way where the geese nest today. This line was laid out in 1854 and today forms the main rail link between Conrail's northern and southern rail yards. All the paper that our newspapers are printed on comes from the north on this line in the familiar Canadian Pacific boxcars, and almost all of metro Boston's vegetables come in on "the salad bowl express" in the Pacific Refrigerated Express reefer cars that run on this line to the produce warehouses in Chelsea.
	This photograph was taken on a beautiful Saturday Spring morning in May, 1991. My late dog loved the river!
	I took some impressionistic image enhancement liberties with this photograph of a Canada goose which was taken at Watertown in 1999.
	While feeding the white geese in the late Autumn, lots of hungry seagulls swooped in for a share of the food. This series of remarkable photographs was taken in October and November of 2003.
	Another seagull caught in mid-flight. A large flock of herring gulls appeared on Magazine Beach in late October and remained for much of the winter.
	Another seagull in flight, October 2003
	One of my favorites of the Autumn seagull series.
	Many sorts of things wash up at river's edge. This one was photographed in May 2003.
	An interesting study in flotsam. This photograph was taken in May 2003.
	Early September sunset in the Charles River basin. This photograph was taken in 2003.
	View of Boston in a night-time crossing of the Longfellow Bridge; taken in mid-June 2004.
	This diminutive wildflower, captured with a macro close-up lens, flourishes near the MDC pool. Spring 2003.
	A frog's-eye view of the river is offered in this photograph taken in the spring of 2003.
	Several species' fallen petals and leaves form an interesting study in this photo from the spring of 2003.
	While not the most welcome use of Magazine Beach, BU's graduation tents create an interesting temporary sykline along the river. 2003
	Dandelions bloom exuberantly at Magazine Beach in this 2003 shot.
	River ice that buckled in the bitter cold of February 2004 gives the illusion of waves frozen in motion.
	Three bridges cross a Charles River locked in the Arctic chill of the winter of 2004.
	Wouldn't it be nice to be as cozy as these two Magazine Beach squirrels seem to be? This photograph was taken in March 2003.
	This black-crested Night Heron is patiently waiting for lunch in the spillway of the Watertown dam. The photograph was taken in July 2005
	Yet another amazing seagull in mid-flight. This photograph was taken in October 0f 2003

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	This photograph was taken in the summer of 1987. On 35mm film using a long telephoto lens.		This photograph was taken March 1, 1990, a wide angle shot of the bridge and its neighbors. The flock numbered about 18 individuals at this time.
	A spectacular sunset forms the backdrop for this photograph, taken Nov. 21, 2003		Differences of opinion among members of the flock are openly debated. This photograph was taken Christmas Day 2002.
	Eloquent evidence of their presence, November 2002.		This photograph was taken in an early season snowstorm, November 2002.
	Among the wonders to be seen at river's edge are the amazing "feather trees", made possible by dead weeds, high winds, and loose white goose down. This photograph was taken on December 22, 2003		This was the nesting area in the lee of the BU Bridge in April, 1990.
	This peaceful twilight photograph comes from the summer of 2003.		This photograph was taken in May of 2002 and shows some of the many goslings born that Spring.
	Some more of the 2002 goslings with their faithful mother goose.		Following mom, May 2002.
	This photograph was taken June 18, 2003 and shows two of the year's few goslings several weeks old.		More of the 2003 goslings.
	This photograph was taken June 2003.		Here are two of the first goslings hatched in 2004. This photograph was taken April 19.
	Here's a nice close-up of the same pair taken five days after the one above.		"What did you say?" This photograph was taken in November 1997.
	This photograph was taken on a drab January afternoon in 2004. Note the iridescence where beads of rain on their quite waterproof feathers have reflected the camera flash in lovely lights.		Flocking in sunlit waters, November 2002.
	"That feels good!" This photograph was taken in Nov. 2002.		Two pals. Late November 2002.
	Two pals, September 14, 2003		"Bumpy" the goose. This photograph was taken in November 1997
	A goose-eye view of things on the river I. Sept.2003.		A goose-eye view of things on the river II. Sept.2003.
	A goose-eye view of things on the river III. Sept.2003.		A goose-eye view of things on the river IV. Sept.2003.
	A goose-eye view of things on the river V. Sept.2003.		A goose-eye view of things on the river VI. Sept.2003.
	This photograph was taken at a cold November sunset in 2003.		Feeding time on a cold winter's day after an early snowstorm, November 27, 2002.
	Walking on the ice under the BU bridge, December 8, 2003.		On the nest in a sudden late-season snow squall, March 12, 2004.
	My dog and I were frequent vistors along the river in the '80's and early '90's. This photograph dates to April 1990		Meeting of the minds, April 1990.
	Lots of personality, September '03.		Gliding into the water in a very pleasant spot, Sept. 2003.
	The geese spend much time bathing and preening. Sept. 2003.		On the nest at the Grand Junction Railroad, May 25, 2002.
	Browsing on Magazine Beach in brilliant Autumn sunlight. This photograph was taken on Oct. 15, 2003.		Whiter than usual in an early November snowstorm, 2002.
	Winter night-time at the meadow, December 2004		Winter night-time at the meadow, December 2004
	New life in the goose meadow, May 2005		New life in the goose meadow, May 2005
	Stretching wings in the snow, March 2004		At repose in the winter river, March 2004
	With an armed US Army ROTC escort, March 2004		Winter's dusk, Feb 2005
	Family pecking order, so to speak, June 2007		Mother and child, April 29, 2006
	Silhouettes in an early Spring twilight, framed by the arch of the BU bridge. This photograph was taken on April 20, 1990.		I couldn't resist adding this sketch to the gallery. It is the work of a seven-year old friend and depicts her impression of a white goose with passers by observing from the BU Bridge. The geese and children are a natural combination!