This morning as I was walking to the house from the cabin after checking my seedlings, I heard a strange honking sound coming from out by the road. It wasn't Canada geese, it wasn't even our obnoxious gray geese. Was something wrong with one of the neighbor's cows?
I looked down the driveway just in time to see two enormous white birds flying low, their raucous bugle calls filling the air. Trumpeter swans! WOW!
Trumpeter swans have made a comeback in Minnesota during my lifetime, thanks to the efforts of the Department of Natural Resources and Hennepin County Parks. They are still relatively rare but their numbers are increasing and it's not unusual to see breeding pairs in small lakes around here. With luck I'll find a breeding pair this summer to document for the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas.
4 comments:
I've seen trumpeter swans in Michigan's U.P. in the wildlife refuge near Seney, and one swan once here in Ohio.
They are so impressive (as are sandhill cranes) and I wish we had them in residence around here. You're lucky…and I hope you find a breeding pair for your atlas inclusion.
I saw a pair (nesting I assume) las summer on the north side of 210 on Wild Rice Lake (I think that's the lake name) Cool that it's on your yard list!!
Grizzled- Yes, very impressive, and sandhill cranes were altogether unheard of around here when I was growing up, like the trumpeters. Some good things are happening, but there are a lot of species in decline at the same time.
Lynne- It's so great to see them nesting here and there! And, I feel like I have an unfair advantage on my yard list when my "yard" is forty acres. :)
I saw something on Venture North the other day about Trumpeter Swans. They're so huge and it's great to know their numbers are increasing.
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