{"id":123586,"date":"2024-03-11T04:18:33","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T10:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=123586"},"modified":"2025-05-08T07:28:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T12:28:31","slug":"canada-geese-honking-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/11\/canada-geese-honking-match\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada Geese Honking Match"},"content":{"rendered":"

This pair of Canada Geese looked to me like they were having a “honking match” when I photographed them in 2018 at a local pond during the winter. They weren’t though.<\/p>\n

\"CloseClose up Canada Geese honking match \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There are always stories behind my photos; sometimes the images speak for themselves, and at other times, a little context helps to accurately convey the story.<\/p>\n

In this case, it might appear as if I were too close to the geese and that they were upset with my presence.<\/p>\n

That wasn’t what was happening at all.<\/p>\n

First, I was sitting in a vehicle using it as a mobile blind.<\/p>\n

Second, this pair of Canada Geese swam close to me, I didn’t approach them.<\/p>\n

Third, this photo was taken at a time when the geese were heading into breeding season and they were pairing up. These birds get rather territorial and aggressive with other geese during that time.<\/p>\n

And last, this pair of geese were actually honking<\/span><\/a> at another Canada Goose that had approached them.<\/p>\n

At that time, I had been focused on other birds in my viewfinder which narrows my field of view. Because of that, I didn’t notice this pair of geese until they got so close all I could do was take close up portrait images from inside the mobile blind.<\/p>\n

In hindsight, I wish that I had had a few seconds to change my depth of field so I could have had both geese sharply in focus. I didn’t, yet I still enjoy viewing this photo.<\/p>\n

In fact, this up-close photo of the Canada Geese honking tickles my sense of humor, and I like to laugh.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Canada Geese photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This pair of Canada Geese looked to me like they were having a “honking match” when I photographed them in 2018 at a local pond during the winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,28,709,26],"tags":[4004,32,4072,4774,4142,713,4775,6026,14789,8018,2063,373],"class_list":["post-123586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-canada-geese","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-branta-canadensis","tag-calling","tag-canada-geese","tag-close-up","tag-geese","tag-goose","tag-honking","tag-match","tag-urban","tag-waterfowl","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/canada-geese-winter-close-up-mia-mcpherson-6728.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-w9k","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":141786,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/19\/flying-canada-geese-at-the-arkansas-river-valley-nature-center\/","url_meta":{"origin":123586,"position":0},"title":"Flying Canada Geese at the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week at the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, I was delighted to photograph a pair of Canada Geese flying over Wells Lake in golden morning light.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flying Canada Geese at the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119620,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/12\/canada-goose-on-the-wing\/","url_meta":{"origin":123586,"position":1},"title":"Canada Goose On The Wing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a break in the gray clouds yesterday before noon, so I drove down to my local pond. While I was there, I photographed this Canada Goose on the wing.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Canada Goose in flight, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48036,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/08\/08\/canada-geese-and-how-their-calls-signal-a-change-of-seasons-for-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":123586,"position":2},"title":"Canada Geese and How Their Calls Signal a Change of Seasons For Me","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There are lots of Canada Geese near where I live in part because of the grassy golf course that is not too far away and because of the Jordan River and several small ponds that are just down the hill.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Canada Goose portrait, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-portrait-mia-mcpherson-2628.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-portrait-mia-mcpherson-2628.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-portrait-mia-mcpherson-2628.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-portrait-mia-mcpherson-2628.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44479,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/19\/feisty-canada-geese-threat-displays\/","url_meta":{"origin":123586,"position":3},"title":"Feisty Canada Geese Threat Displays","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"That morning the Canada Geese were the most lively of the subjects I photographed, bathing, mating and exhibiting threat displays.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Canada Goose exhibiting intense threat display, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-aggressive-behavior-mia-mcpherson-5556.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-aggressive-behavior-mia-mcpherson-5556.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-aggressive-behavior-mia-mcpherson-5556.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-aggressive-behavior-mia-mcpherson-5556.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54505,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/10\/09\/calling-canada-geese-an-earful-of-autumn\/","url_meta":{"origin":123586,"position":4},"title":"Calling Canada Geese – An Earful of Autumn","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've lived in many locations during my lifetime where I didn't see or hear Canada Geese at all, so I don't take them for granted; 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It doesn't matter if my subject is as small as a hummingbird, as large as an eagle, as slow as a gliding pelican, or as fast as a stooping falcon as long as it is a bird.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter Canada Geese on the wing, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-snow-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5427.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-snow-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5427.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-snow-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5427.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-snow-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5427.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}