Snow Geese Migration at Middle Creek
It's a majestic sight that only nature can provide: A "blizzard" of snow geese – thousands upon thousands of them – converging on a 400-acre lake in Lancaster County as they make their way from their winter home in the Chesapeake Bay region to their arctic summer breeding grounds.
The annual spring mass migration of the snow geese, and smaller numbers of tundra swans and Canada geese, has made the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Stevens, Pennsylvania, a worldwide destination for nature lovers and photographers. Middle Creek, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, is about a 40-minute drive north of After Eight Bed and Breakfast.
Middle Creek is a 6,000+ acre tract of land set aside for the protection and management of wildlife and is a valuable Atlantic Flyway stopover site for many species of migrating waterfowl and other birds. Nearly 25% of the eastern population of snow geese are thought to stop over at Middle Creek. The migration of snow geese usually peaks between mid-February and mid-March, but is dependent on weather conditions, as these waterfowl need Middle Creek's lake to be unfrozen to roost and fields to be snow-free in order to feed.
Snow geese are strong fliers and can reach speeds of 50 mph. They're considered a medium-sized goose, with a wingspan of about 4.5 feet. Their black-tipped wings can be easily seen when the birds are in flight. Check out this fascinating video of the snow geese on their stopover at Middle Creek in 2021.
The recently expanded Middle Creek Visitors Center is open yearly from the Tuesday after Martin Luther King Day to Thanksgiving. The interactive visitor center can provide you with maps for Middle Creek's seasonal wildlife driving tour and over 20 miles of hiking trails. The best location to view the snow geese is the Willow Point Trail, which can get extremely crowded on warmer weekends during peak hours. Avoid the crowds by coming during the week or first thing in the morning.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers these tips and resources for the best snow geese migration viewing at Middle Creek. When you stay with us at After Eight Bed and Breakfast this winter, bundle up for a winter hike, bring your camera and binoculars, and witness the migration magic at this globally important bird area.
