Delta Chamber of Commerce to host annual Delta Snow Goose Festival this weekend

the Delta Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Delta Snow Goose Festival, a spectacle that features thousands of geese taking flight from the Gunnison Bend Reservoir. Photo: Ray Hennessy.

DELTA, Utah — Later this week, the Delta Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Delta Snow Goose Festival, a spectacle that features thousands of geese taking flight from the Gunnison Bend Reservoir.

Held from Feb. 25-26 just west of Delta at the reservoir, as many as 20,000 geese can be seen and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) biologists will be present in order to provide information about the birds and to help locate them.

According to the time of day, the locations where the birds can be viewed can vary. If individuals arrive early in the morning, the birds can be seen feeding in the fields surrounding the reservoir. Shortly thereafter, the geese will then return to the reservoir between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

“Seeing those thousands of geese in flight makes for incredible photos,” DWR Regional Outreach Manager Adam Kavalunas said. “Watching and hearing the geese take off can take your breath away. It’s a great family activity, and we encourage you to come out and see these amazing birds in flight.”

Upon landing back at the reservoir, the geese will generally spend the next few hours there until returning to the fields between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. If individuals arrive during this time, they will be directed by biologists back to the field in order to view the geese feeding.

In addition to providing information and direction about the geese at the festival, the DWR has provided the following list of information for anyone interested in attending:

• Try to bring your own binoculars or a spotting scope to view the geese. If you get too close to the birds, you could scare them away.
• Please respect private property. Trespassing to view the geese is not legal.
• For your safety, if you pull off the road to view the geese, pull as far off the road as you can.
• Be prepared for cold, wet weather by dressing in layers that will help you stay warm and dry.