"You want to show what you saw," Laack said. your business in front of over 35,000 UNIQUE ADDRESSES each month. Adults look alike, although males are larger than females. are good places to see them. Your email address will not be published. In October, the temperature starts to drop up north. Ducks often feed close to swans taking Ive found that most of the best February waterfowl viewing is south of Madison, in McFarland. while ago, there were a couple of kids who had their necks around each volunteers staff it from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first three weekends in he asked. These species regularly breed in Wisconsin and can be found commonly in certain areas. 35 south to Nelson. will follow the ice thaw to the north. In fact, one of the most impressive things you will watch today is the below video, which shows an ENORMOUS flock of Snow Geese. At night, they return to large lakes or wetlands to roost. Swans also create a ruckus if another family infringes on its feeding Becky: The Trumpeter Swan population in Wisconsin now numbers several thousand and has spread across the state. Help support our cause by giving a gift or by joining us. Looking at these two pictures, can you see how much larger and longer the trumpeter bill is? So when ponds in southern Canada and North Dakota start to ice over in is three miles south of Brownsville off Minnesota 26, 18 miles south of Eagle-watching: Eagles migrate south along with swans, and Alma's He wanted the yellow water lilies to be namedNymphea Both species are white with a black bill. Harry Buck of Alma organized the first swan watch at Rieck's Park north of Alma, Wisconsin, after he heard a visitor videotaping 4,000 tundra swans saying that "all the noise was coming from these egrets." Field mark #3: The eye of a trumpeter swan will be fully appear fully set in the black skin of the bill, whereas the eye of a tundra swan will appear more separate or connected by a thin line black. The flautist and his fellow young musicians aren't playing anything regal or solemn they're planning to parade through south London's streets entertaining crowds with an uplifting ''coronation carnival'' set mixing gospel, jazz, grime, disco and rap. The swans gain more than two pounds of fat before heading east to the Chesapeake Bay where they will overwinter before returning once more to the tundra to build their nests, lay eggs, and raise their young. by Blog Contributor | Dec 1, 2015 | Field Trips, By Connie and Peter Roop, Foundation members and guest bloggers. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge today, Becky, and for all those cygnets you helped fledge! Sign up for my weekly emails and and receive my 179 page eBook "Bird Feeding Secrets" in your inbox. Rangers at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Tundra Swans are mainly spotted in Wisconsin from mid-October to April and occur in 2% of winter checklists. November. In fact, these geese are now so abundant, many people consider them pests for the amount of waste they produce! Viewing . When they graze on land, you will find them on farmlands close to the coast. Typical.". These elegant creatures - slightly smaller than our other native species, the Trumpeter Swan - nest on arctic tundra and visit the U.S. only on . Tundra swans are big birds. The La Crosse Region and the surrounding areas are home to some of the best birdwatching locales in the Upper Midwest. We can still refer to our swans as the whistling race of the tundra swan. It is illegal to hunt native trumpeter swans, tundra swans and non-native mute swans. Minnesota sees three of those each year (probably). Water levels are very low right now. Refuge. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com . Trumpeters will also have a red line on their lower mandible that resembles lipstick, but it can be difficult to see. //2006-11-04: swanleader, Birding Can you see that slight curve in the tundra bill? life, although if one dies, they will find a new mate. Trumpeters also nest in many other northern counties, and in Wisconsin's Central Sands and southwestern counties. It was mostly mallards and common mergansers on my visit on Saturday, but the scene can vary a lot. Photo by Brandyn Kerscher, I felt lucky to see a field mark that isnt always visible from a distance. They can be found in marshes, open water lakes, or small urban ponds. On migration, Tundra Swans typically move through Wisconsin in large, noisy flocks. adult Bald Eagles. They are non-native and were introduced to grace ornamental lakes and ponds but now have escaped into the wild and bred. Mute Swans are normally seen as individual birds or in pairs and tower over smaller geese species. But they to Goose Island County Park south of La Crosse. Instead, they have dusky-pinkish bills. They use plants and vegetation to create a mound in which the female lays four to eight eggs. They have a bright yellow bill covering almost half of the bill and black at the tip. Wisconsin is a great place to observe the migration of the tundra swan. If you stop to view the water at Jaeger Park, you can also park and take the trail into the woods to walk through Indian Mound Conservation Park, which is right next door. seen on the ice below the dam; at times, more than 100 at a time. been out since 6:45 a.m. with his bazooka-sized lens, photographing and | River Books, Note Cards If youre not able to get out in February or the weather is too cold and snowy for your liking, wait a month or so! Once, as many as 6,000 tundra swans came to Rieck's Lake in Alma, Wis. Between now and then, shed love to hear about the birds youre seeing and hearing. Whooper Swans forage mostly underwater. Fun Fact: The Tundra Swan used to be called Whistling Swan because of the sound their wings make in flight. afternoon, when the sun is setting behind the deck, producing beautiful along the Mississippi before continuing east. At the top base of their bill, youll see a very distinct V-shape on a trumpeter. The Three Rivers Park District also had a program. A characteristic whistling in their wings led Meriwether Lewis to call them "whistling swans," a name still in use. Snow geese are infrequent visitors to Wisconsin, while the native swans are much more abundant. Pools 4-11 of the Mississippi River Look for these birds in large fields and bodies of water. Their eye isnt as fully lined with black skin and that separation is visible even from a distance. However, there are vagrants in the United States and Canada. Adult Tundra Swans are bright white birds with a black bill extending to the eyes. Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Two trumpeter swans are pictured on the left, and two tundra swans on the right. These birds breed in the arctic tundra but then migrate south for winter. All four species of swans found in North America have been spotted in Wisconsin. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt. Tundra swans in Upper Mississippi River backwaters The most common sound these birds make is a hoo-ho-hoo bugle, with the second syllable being emphasized. tubers of plants such as arrowhead (duck potato), wild celery, and sago Tundra Swans breed in the Canadian Arctic and coastal Alaska. And as you can probably hear from the video above, Snow Geese are one of the noisiest waterfowl you will encounter in Wisconsin. month of November. There is a black patch on their face, seemingly connecting their eyes to their bills. On chilly days in late fall, they crowd onto During migration and the non-breeding season, these geese can be seen in Wisconsinin marshes, lakes, and farm fields, where they enjoy eating leftover crops. lock and dam and the observation deck at Wings Over Alma on Main Street They have a rounder white forehead (which is more pointed on the trumpeter) and rounder-looking "cheeks," giving them more of a baby face. For more information about trumpeter swan identification, photos and tips for how to tell trumpeter swans apart from other large white birds visit theDNRs Swans in Wisconsin webpageandThe Trumpeter Swan Societys website. Water levels are very low right now. The top surface of this tundra swan's beak shows its concave shape. Its common for these two species to travel together in the same large flocks! There are another two viewing decks in the seven miles between Trumpeter Swans are very sensitive when breeding and will commonly abandon their nest sites and babies due to human disturbance. It's $30, including a box lunch. Trumpeter Swans are larger than Tundra Swans. Murnice Kuesel already was on the platform and showed me K744, a swan AMERICA'S GREAT RIVER ROAD, Volume 1. Im sure you probably recognize these birds, as they are very comfortable living around people and development. Legally hunted across the state, snow geese (pictured at right) are significantly smaller than Wisconsin's swan species. Small, stocky goose that is completely white, except for black wingtips. Press Releases | When Will the Swans Return in the Spring. Nests of Trumpeter Swans are almost always surrounded by water or close to it. The DNR website offers these directions to two prime viewing locations for tundra swans the Watchable Wildlife Observation Platform at Rieck's Lake Park near Alma, and roadside observation on the Minnesota side from Hwy. There are some special spots in our area where you can still find open water and several waterfowl species, even through the coldest part of the season. Swans are abundant just below Goose Island between La Crosse and Stoddard, Tundra bills are usually dish-shaped or concave, while trumpeter bills have a flat, straight slope and appear heavier and wedge-shaped. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt. They also flock together in agricultural fields. Most Whooper Swans found in the United States will be escaped pets with the exception of those in Alaska, Canada, or the Northwestern United States. It is on the north end of Lower Mud Lake and features an observation deck that gives you an excellent view of the lake. Some individuals remain in the state to breed before leaving in the fall. Tundra Swan (Michael Schramm/USFWS) Identification. There were at least a hundred tundra swans (not all pictured) gathered on the edge of the ice, along with a lot of common goldeneye, common mergansers, gadwall, and more. Refuge post Their heads and neck may occasionally show some rust-brown coloring because of their contact with iron elements in wetland soils. They breed in open areas near shallow waters. Their bodies are entirely white. In the pond were also several other last-minute leaversthree snow geese, two Canada geese, and one lonely Pacific loon. They also visit farm fields in large flocks looking for food. Its hard to fathom how many birds are traveling together! Links | But never fearyou havent missed your chance! But combined with the other field marks above, it is another good sign to look for. It will sound higher in pitch than a Snow Goose. MADISON AUDUBON 211 S. Paterson St. #340, Madison, WI 53703 (608) 255-2473 and Gifts | Gazing at hundreds of these unique birds, we made the connection between our "Wisconsin" swans and the small family of swans we . In fact, they are so big, about 100 yards of open water is needed for them to get enough speed to take off! to the marshes of Chesapeake Bay. I saw them near the boat launch last night around 5pm, so if you want to look for them, Id start with Tenney Park and then check Yahara Place Park if they arent there. A migrating to their wintering grounds on Chesapeake Bay and the estuaries Typically by the time they are 2 or 3, they have found a partner. 74 junction. Inn offers suites and apartments in three just after daybreak, in a cacophony of honks, clucks, trills and I remember learning that trumpeter swans were removed from Wisconsins Endangered Species list in 2009, but I had no idea of all the work that went into their reintroduction. At our recent visit, they were peppered with migrating ducks and at least 50 Snow geese are significantly smaller than Wisconsin's swan species. Its also a great place to spot cygnets, or young trumpeter swans. children of the desert." Natural Resources Foundation A characteristic whistling in their wings led Meriwether Lewis to call them "whistling swans," a name still in use. I know I have been guilty of stepping in their droppings at least a few times in my own backyard as they come to eat corn from my feeding station. Michelle Marron and Ruth Nissen, Wisconsin DNR. You can find Whooper Swans living together in flocks near wetlands, on flooded fields, lakes, and small ponds. When I make the visit down there, there are three spots that are all fairly close to each other that I will visit. The population of the once-endangered trumpeter swan now exceeds 11,000 since their successful reintroduction by the DNR and our partners. The Trumpeter Swan has the distinction of being the longest and heaviest living bird native to North America. second trip to this area they will have their adult plumage. There is a Mississippi River location downstream from the Monticello nuclear power plant where warm water discharged from the plant attracts overwintering waterfowl. Look for them near ponds, lakes, rivers, and marshes, and the farther from people, the better! Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish It is illegal to hunt native trumpeter swans, tundra swans and non-native mute swans. Juveniles are dark gray. Tundra swans are slightly smaller and are best distinguished by their high-pitched quavering call, unlike the deep, trumpet-like call of the trumpeter swan. Excursions: The Friends of the Refuge are offering the annual Tundra Swan Watch bus tour out of Winona on Nov. 15 in 2022. The Brownsville Tundra and trumpeter swans also love to gather at Goose Pond Sanctuary in late March as the ice begins to melt, and theyll often stay through early April. Looking through the scope, I spotted X079 and then H158, which volunteer It's $35, including a box lunch. advantage of the small animal and plant material distributed by the swans. My. sloughs. squawks. Photos by Caitlyn Schuchhardt. Draw that flight path and you cross Minnesota. Mute Swans are native to Europe and Asia but have been introduced into parts of North America. All four species of swans found in North America have been spotted in Wisconsin. While here, the tundra swans feed mainly on starchy bulbs or Here they are: The sidewalk and boardwalk seem to be shoveled and cleared regularly, making this a very accessible location. Mute Swans spend most of their time floating on water. To help us out, Ive invited a special guest, Madison Audubons very own Becky Abel, who researched trumpeter swans for her graduate work. from the northwest. drop in. They can often be seen picking at vegetation on shore or with their backends up, feeding on water plants. But river sediment filled the slough, accelerated by floods, and their Whooper Swans feed on plant material such as roots, stems, leaves, and grasses. Do you remember the book The Ugly Duckling? This story actually features a young Mute Swan born among ducks but grows up to be a beautiful swan. The bill is typically straight, and there is often a red "lipstick" marking where the upper and lower bills meet. and Fish Refuge. Advertising onwww.greatriver.computs Links | Tundra swans, meanwhile, are beautiful Holarctic migrants, movin . Such great numbers of tundra swans only appear in this area on their route south. Those that breed around the Great Lakes migrate to central inland US states. wayside overlooks just south of Brownsville, which makes for superb birding. Becky, if you are attempting to pick out a trumpeter swan, what are some key visual field marks youll look for? How did you come to know so much about trumpeter swans, Becky? We see the second species, tundra swans, in migration, spring and fall. Acadia Kashdan, 2, uses a public spotter scope to look at migrating tundra swans Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt. Caitlyn: These are all really helpful field marks to consider! There will be swans at Rieck's (pronounced Rick's) Lake, but viewing may be better on the other side of Rieck's Lake: From Wisconsin 35, just north of the slough, take County Road I to Badland Road and view swans from there. Trumpeter and tundra swans feed at the marsh on their southern fall migration every September . swans from there. Notice how the eyes of the trumpeter swans almost disappear into the black skin of the bill. hundreds of thousands of geese and ducks. Refuge staff and They may also be in mixed flocks with Trumpeter Swans. The Upper Mississippi River Refuge provides the pools of slack water that enables these plants to flourish and nourish millions of birds as they migrate. Whooper Swans are native to Eurasia and breed in cold northern regions and winter further south in wetlands. Field mark #1: Trumpeter bills are larger and more wedge-shaped than tundra bills, with a long, straight slope from forehead to bill. Sumner Matteson, DNR Avian EcologistSumner.Matteson@wisconsin.govor 608-225-0586. By far, the easiest way to distinguish these two closely-related species is by their voice. Destruction of southern wetlands has reduced its former food sources in wintering areas, but it has adapted by shifting its habits to feeding on waste products in agricultural fields. I have a LIVE high-definition camera watching my feeders 24/7. Other large white birds, including American white pelicans and . Thanks to the Yahara, the water nearest the observation deck will often stay open. Angle plays a big role, but the V-shape on a trumpeter is quite sharp and will often stand out if you spot it. They have a wingspan of almost 6 feet (1.8 m) and weigh around 25 pounds (11.3 kg), which is about twice the amount of a Tundra Swan. These large birds typically nest on an existing structure that is surrounded by water, such as beaver dams, muskrat dens, small islands, floating masses of vegetation, and artificial platforms. FISHING| Both parents take turns in incubating the eggs for about thirty-five to thirty-eight days. front from North Dakota," he said. Nests are often found on islands in the middle or edge of a lake. A public area located north of Oshkosh off of County Road A on Snell Road east toward Lake Winnebago. banded in 1992 and thought to have flown more than 100,000 miles in her TUNDRA SWAN WARNING Outagamie County Swans are present at the Shiocton Marsh, and can be seen in fields on both sides of Shiocton, near the airport and west of town. They use their large bills to pull out plants by their roots, eating all of them, including the stems. own scope and showed me two bald eagles sitting in a tree across the Lewis Park is such a gem! They vary in size, but are usually between 3 and 4 feet long. We gazed at napping swans, their heads snuggly tucked under their wings. sloughs, and many swans congregate at Tell Lake. They cause problems for native wildlife and can be aggressive. Were deep into winter. They have been sighted at elevations of 6000 to 8000 feet where Or another Natural Resources Foundation field trip! More than 2,600 different sites link to greatriver.com. Dress as warmly as possible; if you're taking photos, bring mittens or on the deck ever since. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Swans mate for Another collected European species, it too was a fugitive. If you see a flock of large birds in a V-formation, then its most likely them. Beth Gauper, 2007 - all rights reserved. But if you see any hint of yellow on the bill, you are almost definitely looking at a tundra swan. On wintry days, flocks of North America's most numerous swans gather on lakes and estuaries or descend out of gray skies. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt. They were once the preserve of royalty, and only the kings or queens could keep or hunt them and eat them. They use their long necks to . Also be sure to check out theBadgerland Birding YouTube Channel. More arrive daily, building up to their peak population during the Classifieds | Contact Us | Mated pairs migrate with each other and stay together for many years. By far, the easiest way to distinguish these two closely-related species is by their voice. They exit the popup to enter the map and see an overview map of Wisconsin with the Ice Age Trail. Tundra swans were, until recently, called whistling swans because of the sound made by the powerful beating of their wings in flight. Near the end of the week, the trumpeter pair moved down to the open patch of water at the mouth of the Yahara River at Yahara Place Park, where they again stayed for a few days. of Wisconsin FISHING| The mute swan is easy to identify. line, on which trains thunder by all night. just north of the slough, take County Road I to Badland Road and view It's the big white bird being chased by a uniformed man with a net. 61 to either Red Wing or Wabasha and cross the Mississippi River. area or a lone swan tries to join their family. Fun Fact: Adult swans are highly protective of their young and will aggressively defend them when they sense danger or threats. It is illegal to hunt native trumpeter swans, tundra swans and non-native mute swans in Wisconsin. It's just an amazing thing; I've seen it twice in eight years.". These estimates have decreased an average of 3% per year during 1997-2006 (USFWS 2006a). 61 near Weaver. Next stop: the sloughs of the Mississippi. Becky: I served on the board of The Trumpeter Swan Society for several years and later as Associate Director of the nonprofit. In Wisconsin, they will often be seen in large flocks out on ice, in fields, or flying overhead. have a yellow yellow teardrop at the lores (near their eye). Adult Tundra Swans are bright white birds with a black bill extending to the eyes. Follow Wisconsin Hwy. They can often be seen with their heads underwater and backsides up as they feed. Not huge numbers, but I've tallied 1,000. | Hand-painted HISTORIC All was quiet for a minute, and then another quarrel flared nearby. Three bald eagles and a golden eagle are in residence. -- They can be differentiated from Tundra Swans by having a more bell-shaped head, and a more v-shaped forehead when looking at the bird head on, compared to the u-shaped forehead of the Tundra Swan. Our sightings included mile-long rafts of canvasbacks (in the tens of thousands),hundreds of green-winged teal and mallard ducks, dozens of eagles, scores of white pelicans, flocks of Canada geese, and hundreds of wondrous tundra swans. They also have a larger swan called the whooper, just as we have a larger one called the trumpeter. In fact, the plumage is almost exactly the same, and these two birds used to be classified as the same species. Tundra Swans can be seen in the upper Midwest during spring and fall migration and are legally hunted in North Carolina, Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. there was a loud commotion, with wings flapping and necks pumping Shell be back next Monday with some tips and tools for birders, new and experienced! Due to their beauty, Mute Swans were imported from Europe and then released in parks, large estates, and zoos. lighting for photographers, and the birds are flying overhead, heading Tundra swans rest on Pools 4-11 during the fall migration, moving through just But did you know there are only 7 different species of swans in the world, and only 3 species that are reliably found in Wisconsin (with one exotic species that is also sometimes seen)? This November we had the opportunity to enjoy the abundance of waterfowl migrating along the Mississippi Flyway between western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota and Iowa. (Listen below). On the return flight in spring, the swan's Make sure to pay attention to the range maps to see which of these birds live near you! BIRDING |,