Trumpeter Swans

Monday turned out to be one of the sunniest days of the year so far, and, luckily, I had scheduled a trip to Elma and thereabouts. It’s some of the closest farmland around and generally attracts a wide range of birds, but I was most attracted by the prospect of getting some photographs of Trumpeter Swans.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed as the fields were full of swans and more,

Trumpeter Swans And Snow Geese

in this case Snow Geese mixed in with the flock, apparently devoted to grazing and allowing the swans to provide any needed security. I’ll have to admit I was a little awed by the size of these birds, especially considering that Snow Geese aren’t little birds.

Unfortunately, they were far too shy to get very close to them, probably wise considering that hunting season just ended Sunday. I really wanted to get some shots of a swan floating placidly on a pong, but considering that most of the ponds were iced over I considered myself lucky to get this shot of them on the far side of a large pond:

Swans On Pond

The biggest thrill of the day might have been when a small flock of Trumpeters flew directly overhead:

Swan Flying Over

I’m planing to return in a few weeks with hopes of getting a little closer to them once the gunfire fades into a distant memory.

There were very few ducks to be seen, and none to be seen in the pond where the hunting blind is located. In fact there weren’t even songbirds. The place was eerily quiet.

4 thoughts on “Trumpeter Swans”

  1. The photo of the swan in flight is just amazing. The long neck is stunning.

    On a completely different note, I came across an artist you might enjoy. She writes her own haiku in Japanese, translates it to English, and paints her own illustrations. You can download her work HERE.

  2. These are beautiful shots – what moments! The three images together show their special blend of perfection and cacophany – I can just hear that gang in the middle. We’d love to use such shots in our conservation work if you are willing to share. Check out our website at http://www.trumpeterswansociety.org. We are a small, focused group active now for 40 years assuring their restoration. It’s great to see the artistry in your shots. With the help of folks like you we can keep populations strong so they are there to photograph and enjoy!

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