Tundra swans

“Saturday was just a brilliant day, sunny and -- get this> 67!!

I went on a bus trip along the Mississippi starting at Winona, MN; then north to Alma, WI; then through Wabasha, MN and on past Weaver Lake; lunch in Winona; then south to Brownsville, MN; and back.

It was a trip to take in the tundra swan migration. Now while I've thought for years of going to the Grand Island, Nebraska area to see the sandhill crane migration, here this was happening in my "backyard" all these years and I never knew about it -- DOH!

At Alma the town specifically has a "Swan Watch" team of volunteers and a small park on an estuary of the Buffalo River to watch the swans. Whereas last year it was freezing cold and there were around, I dunno, 20,000 swans... this year we had a gal wearing shorts on the trip and there were maybe 300 swans. lol...

The tundra and trumpeter swans are native to North America. They look close to, but different from, those swans you see in moats and fairy tales on TV. LOL... those are called "mute" swans and they are BAD! They're European and if you see one, you're supposed to report it. They damage habitat for our native swans.

Which, by the way, nest in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. (Another reason NOT to be drilling for and transporting oil from there???!?)

At Wabasha we heard the requisite reference to "Grumpy Old Men," the adage to the glories of ice fishing filmed there. And one man on the bus said the sequel was actually filmed at Stillwater, MN, where he had lived and was an extra in that movie.

Going along the river we spotted the huge nests of bald eagles in the tops of trees, as well as some balds themselves.

South of Brownsville, we saw a lot of swans on the Mississippi, although nowhere near the umpteen thousands of a year before. They said last year you almost had to cover your ears, they were so loud.

Me, I bushwhacked down the steep embankment (I'm sure the trip leader was happy, NOT! LOL!) and across the RR tracks to set up my tripod. There were a ton of muskrat lodges built in the shallower waters where the swans also feed. I was lucky enough to *hopefully* get possibly a couple shots of muskrats hanging out. LOL! :-) Fingers crossed.

I think they must have been out playing in the river cuz it was so warm. I saw one get out and sit on a branch laying in the river, shake himself off and then flop back into the water. (All while I was trying to move the tripod and MISSING --grrrrrr-- THAT shot!

I never realized this before, but the difference between muskrat and beaver lodges is that latter are bigger and use sticks, whereas the muskrats more use reeds and plants, etc.

anyhoo... fun day and I learned, well, a little. LOL!”

“More info on this website, plus a link to the specific Alma website.

http://www.mississippi-river.org/tundraswans.html”

“Hey, I used to live in Alma, but I didn't live in no Muskrat house.”

“That was interesting, Lizs. How did you learn about it?

Made me wonder if the swans, geese, ducks, etc. travel at different altitudes in the flyways to avoid conflicts.

Are you going to post pictures?”

“At some point I'll have pictures. My digital shots are more of far-away swans and the people looking at them, for my column.

The 35-mm slides, which should get in a little closer and were taken from a tripod with 70-210 lens zoomed in, should be back in two weeks. They we'll see how both swans and muskrats turned out. Plus, the slide film has been in that camea forever! Will see how it turns out.

NS, I think this event was mentioned in a press release, plus it was on Minnesota's Whitewater State Park website, I think. It's been held annually for 21 (??) years. Sponsors included the MN DNR, the Upper Miss Fish and Wildlife Refuge (feds), Friend of the Upper Miss Fish and Wildlife Refuge, etc. etc. Cooperative effort.

There was a $15 fee for the motorcoach and a box lunch, which was waived for Ms. Reporter. LOL! (sometimes my job is GOOD!)

Some MN state parks have interpretive programs. A ranger from Whitewater helps with this one... and also handed out a full list of programs for over the winter, including a wild cave tour (hmmmm... should I try that again??? LOL)... and eagle tours, like in March. The National Eagle Center is at Wabasha.”

“Thanks, Lizs. I be looking for your pictures. This sounds an interesting organization, even if it is for commercial purposes.

Will there be an article in your newspaper soon? I imagine you'll wait for the pictures.

I sent links to my daughter in White Bear Lake. I sure miss living up there. I seem to have enjoyed many lives. But I can only live them one at a time. Right now I only have the memories from up there, especially those of the struggling newspaper editor. (This is starting to sound like a Garrison Keillor program.)”

“LOL!

Am **I** a struggling newspaper editor? Nah, just the news editor and supposedly crazy columnist taking "adventures" (like tundra swan tours. lol)”

“I've been down there (just north of Alma) when the noise was so intense I heard the birds before I saw them..the Mississippi was WHITE! Caught these guys when I returned from our little Yellow River jaunt last spring..:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/131534938/131544089XaFlTw”

“Ever seen a mute swan, Lizs?”

“MHH, just did a double take, googled and yeah, those are pelicans you saw. (didn't know if you were saying they were swans... or that THEY -- the pelicans -- are what you happened to see)

A good photo of a tundra swan:
http://www.kwic.com/~pagodavista/schoolhouse/species/birds/tundswan.htm

Now, I have never seen the pelicans! Didn't even know they were around here at all. The last weekend of Sept. I was at the hawk banding event at Effigy Mounds near YRSF. They guys with the binoculars spotted migrating pelicans then.

Live and learn....... LOL!

And I don't think I've seen the mute swan, other than TV.”

“Garrison Keillor is a weenie and never tipped over an outhouse in his life.”

“OK, Snake Eyes..time for your medication now, dear..LOL..

here's a picture of the mute swans I saw when visiting my folks this fall and yes, Lizs, I knew they were pelicans..LOL..I was also surprised to see so many of them in a place where I'm used to seeing swans..still, they were cool..!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/209412873/209447799GgBOod
last edited: 11/07/04 12:58:18 PM”

“Although hardly nonsensical, this is SWELL approved.”