Only 93 Trumpeter Swans (65 adults + 28 juveniles) and 1
adult Tundra Swan were present today among the Canada Geese, Mallards, and 2♂
Green-winged Teal. This total is much lower than the record high of 199
on the 17th. There had been one swan that stopped flying off to feed and
would remain at the Park. This bird was found dead on the morning of the
17th and was collected later that afternoon. The swan was turned over to
Marlene Ehresman, of the Iowa Wildlife Center (Ames). She, in turn,
brought the bird to the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to determine the
cause. Apparently the swan had sustained an injury to its left side and,
thus, couldn't fly anymore.
So where are the swans that have been present at the Park,
but are no longer here? Here's a possibility: Yesterday, while
conducting a Climate Watch survey for the National Audubon Society, which
included Brushy Creek Recreation Area (Webster County), we (Eric Ollie, Karen
Hinkle, and I) found over 500 Trumpeter Swans on the ice and along the open
water at the lake. this was the largest concentration of Trumpeter Swans
I have ever encountered! (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/27/20)
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