I love to imagine how far some migrating birds travel. The small Brant goose was an inspiring creature to learn about. They often spend time in New York and New Jersey & then travel at least a thousand miles to breed in the Arctic Circle. If you have 7 minutes to spare, check out this video where the USA & Canada combined forces to track these amazing birds. They even stop to snack on the grass of school football, baseball & soccer fields. They are sports experts!
An important food for the Brant goose is seagrass. Seagrass beds are an essential place for so many creatures to take refuge and grow. There are also some incredible symbiotic relationships that scientists believe developed over millions of years. Take the Taylor's Sea Hare, AKA eelgrass sea hare. (Scientifically named Phyllaplysia taylori). They are delightful! Here is a 4 minute video. These tiny creatures look like the grass and eat the film of organisms, mainly diatoms & microscopic algae, off sea grass leaves. They help keep the grass free of debris so that it absorbs the sun. The grass also stabilizes the shoreline and helps pull CO2 from the atmosphere, helping to save the planet.
The story of the goose and sea hare reminds me of how interconnected we are. I've created a scarf to celebrate these awesome creatures.