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 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. The migration of snow geese usually peaks between mid-February and mid-March, but is dependent on weather conditions, as snow geese 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.

After having been closed for nearly two years for renovations, the Middle Creek Visitors Center will be open starting Feb. 1, and will remain open for the duration of the spring waterfowl migration. 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 a map for the best snow geese migration viewing at Middle Creek.

“The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.” ― Lao Tzu