A huge flock of Snow Geese was captured in flight by Bulletin advertising director Chuck Higgs who won a first place ribbon for his entry in the Lodi Grape Festival.

Higgs said there were some 30,000 geese that he saw in the ponds of a Merced wildlife reserve when he photographed the birds in flight and about to land in the feeding ponds near acres of corn planted as a stop in the migratory route.

The photograph of the birds was taken in February and it is the first ribbon Higgs has been awarded – only his second entry.  Mounted on fiber mount board as an 11X14 glossy it can be seen on display in one of the Lodi festival buildings.

A second entry at the festival is of three Canadian Geese in flight capturing the feel of their migratory adventures to the south.  Airplanes, birds of all kinds, bees, other wildlife, and air races in Reno, auto racing including NASCAR, Formula One, Indy cars, motorcycles and drag racing photos are all part of his collection of exciting pursuits.

Higgs’ camera was a Nikon D300S and he used a 300 mm lens.