January 13, 201
Just down the road from the Cottages, these beauties finally showed up for the year! In a field off of Anderson Road and right near the mouth of the Dungeness River, I just stopped my van on the side of the road to get these pictures.
Huge birds with load noises! These local swans are from a migration flock that is from Alaska that has survived because of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. A century ago, trumpeters had been hunted to near extinction, but are now enjoying a comeback estimated at over 35,000 birds in 2005. Locally our count has been steadily rising since first seen here in 1982, when 4 birds were counted. 2009 had 186 trumpeters locally!
If you get the chance to stop and admire the trumpeter swans, it is well worth your time!
More info from a local author at Audobon Society