A family of Canadian geese swimming in a lake in Banff National Park, Alberta

Feathered friends. Banff National Park, Alberta

Amidst the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park, Alberta, a family of Canadian geese glides across the lake in today’s image. Established in 1885 as Canada's first national park, its history is intertwined with that of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The park's discovery was fuelled by workers laying tracks through the wilderness when they came across a hot water spring, which is now a part of the park. These lands were once walked by Indigenous peoples including the Stoney Nakoda, Tsuut'ina, Cree and Kainaiwa, and later by European explorers. It now offers refuge to diverse wildlife, like the mountain bluebird, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer and Canadian goose. The park covers an area of 6,641 square kilometres.

The Canadian geese can be recognised by their black heads and white cheek patches, which are also known as 'chinstraps.' They are resilient travellers, enduring thousands of kilometres of migration, flying in a V-shaped formation. While in Banff National Park, you might come across geese teaching their goslings to navigate the waters. It is not just a park; it's a theatre where nature is on display.