A Most Beautiful Trumpeter Swan at the Mill Pond

One of the most wonderful birds of our earthly world recently lingered at the Valentine Mill Pond. It was an adult Trumpeter Swan that was present for a few days from October 23^rd to 27^th. During its daily routine it walked about on sandy flats or stood in shallow waters just west of the pond pier. This occurrence is significant because this great swan was an adult and alone. Trumpeter Swan do not typically occur alone. They mate for life, and are very dedicated to their family. Perhaps this adult bird lost its mate and the Mill Pond was a mourning place?

The occurrence of this bird was the fifth time this species has been known to occur at the pond in the past three years. While this beautiful bird continues to survive, it has been a wonder of nature notably enjoyed at the suitable habitat of the mill pond, along with the several Canada Goose, some transitory gabbling Gadwall amidst the pondweed and a Greater Yellowlegs busy in its foraging. At least my looking around meant the Pied-billed Grebe was seen on its day. A special sighting also during the weekend was a dark-phase Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree that was not pleased with my hiking about intrusion amidst nature lands, and then a bit later, soaring above in a cerulean autumn sky was another bird wonder, a juvenile Golden Eagle.

A swan was once again present on the morning of November 1.

Occurrence of Swans at Carter Lake

Trumpeter Swan Occurrence at Carter Lake in Recent Years
Julian Date	2003	2013	2014
1	- -	- -	18
2	- -	3	- -
3	- -	- -	19
4	- -	3	- -
5	- -	- -	16
7	- -	3	- -
9	- -	- -	22
11	- -	- -	11
13	- -	3	16
19	- -	- -	28
20	- -	3	15
23	- -	- -	30
28	- -	- -	26
29	- -	- -	23
34	- -	3	3
36	6	- -	- -
39	4	- -	- -
40	- -	3	- -
43	- -	- -	29
44	- -	- -	24
47	5	- -	- -
49	- -	- -	28
51	- -	- -	26
52	- -	- -	25
54	5	2	- -
57	- -	- -	21
61	- -	2	- -
62	- -	- -	22
65	- -	8	- -
68	- -	- -	32

Carter Lake has been a unique site in the past few weeks as a place to enjoy swans. The numbers present and the ease of being able to observe them day-to-day was unique.

Most notably indicated were Trumpeter Swans, which included adults and family groups. The first record of occurrence was January 1st, indicating the possibility that the birds were present in during the last couple of days in December 2013. These birds were not present during waterfowl surveys on the 18th and 28th of the month.

Especially appreciated during their presence was a photographic spread in the Omaha World-Herald, done by Mark Davis in his usual fine style of photography. At this time, attention was being given to a bird with a marker on its wing. It was number 387, and was tagged in Minnesota, as previously reported.

During the winter, special attention was given to denoting the waterfowl present when weather conditions were particularly cold. Frigid conditions, several times, meant a dearth of open-water. When temperatures were especially sub-zero, the area of open water was less than the extent of a football field.

The number of swans present has varied, especially as a result of the time when the fowl survey was done at the lake. On the last date of record for the season, 32 Trumpeter Swans were present in the morning, with documentary photographs that indicate their relative extent. They had moved westward on the lake, from just south of the boat dock, to where water being pumped from the Missouri River, provided an open-water condition. That evening, another Omaha area bird watcher, counted 27 during his evening visit.

Basis for Calculation	Overall Value
1250 bird-use days x $10 per day	$12,500
Birder valuation: 5 x 68 x $5	1,700
Estimation of minimal economic value:	$14,200

Trumpeter Swans were present on at least 68 dates in early 2014, correlating with a minimum of 1250 bird-use days. Each day of occurrence has a value, not only to the birds, but also as an economic value associated with visits by swan enthusiasts. The intrinsic value of a swan can't be found in any book of finance, but there is obviously one, so for consideration purposes, it is designated as $10.00. Then there is the value to area birders to see a swan. On some dates there were numerous people present enjoying the view, especially after they were reported by the media. This extent can be approximated at five people per day for 68 days, and about $5.00 per person.

Tundra Swan Occurrence
Julian Date	2013	2014
3	- -	1
9	- -	1
11	- -	1
19	- -	1
20	- -	1
23	- -	1
28	- -	1
29	- -	1
43	- -	1
49	- -	1
51	- -	1
52	- -	1
57	- -	1
62	- -	1
65	1	- -
68	- -	1

Obviously, these swans present provided an economic value exceeding about $15,000.

Also, how much "buzz" was generated for this species, because of the photospread in the local newspaper, and comments and bird interest generated online.

One point of tragedy, provided by a poster on NEbirds, a dead juvenile Trumpeter Swan occurred on the south side of the lake. This would be Carter Lake City. The carcass was seen but no details were given to indicate the reason for its demise, other than it occurred on February 15th.

Tundra Swan

Records for this littler swan have a lesser extent of occurrence. Then one was seen in March, 2006. The most prevalent details are about one of these swans which decided to spend the past winter at Carter Lake. It was a lesser fowl associated with the larger Trumpeter Swans. One of these birds was reported from January 3 to March 9, 2014, based upon an evaluation of all of the records associated with waterfowl surveys at Carter Lake.

Trumpeter Swans at Carter Lake, February 9, 2014

A special thanks to local birders that have posted their observations online so they were available for consideration in this analysis.

Historic Trumpeter Swan Records from Oldtime Newspapers

Historic newspapers are chronicles of past times in many ways, and this includes notes or articles which mention a variety of different wildbirds, including swans. Notable among these accounts is a mention of the Trumpeter Swan, especially obvious because of their large size and being an unusual occurrence. When a bird of their size occurred and was seen, there may have been a note on a page of the local newspaper. Typically the account conveyed that the bird(s) were shot and killed by someone at a particular place.

During past times while researching the occurrence and distribution of birds in northern America prior to ca. 1885, a multitude of records have been gathered and compiled for all species, including swans. Published accounts were evaluated first, and newly available online resources have increased the extent of material available for review, especially from newspapers.

Especially valuable sources for past times have been digital versions of newspapers. The sources reviewed, include: 1). Chronicling America, as provided by the Library of Congress; 2). Elephind.com, which does not have its own unique content, but is a "search engine" for multiple online resources (i.e., California Digital Newspaper Collection; Door County newspapers; and, Pennsylvania newspapers, etc.), and is especially valuable because it provides a "textual content" helpful in determining whether or not to look further at the linked resource; 3). a personal endeavor based in New York state (fultonhistory.com) which has an immense number of searchable pages, mostly for this state; though it lacks some essential search options, it is still valuable because of the extent of its content; and 4). state initiatives such as Missouri and Pennsylvania. There are other sources of this sort to consider to a greater of lesser extent. Freely available sites obviously are preferable. The fee-based services have not been given any consideration. Most of the available sites worth considering can be found through the web-search "online historic newspapers."

Finding Swan Records of Past Times

All of online material is obviously in a digital format, and typically a portable document format which is a scanned image that has gone through a process of character recognition. Results convey a great lack of textual clarity in the computer interpretation of letters shown on the old pages, since many of them are a second-generation source, having been scanned from microfilm.

Despite the limitations, swan occurrences readily found were the result of text searches, simply because it would be impossible to review every page of every newspaper now available online. Especially useful search options were the phrase "white swan" or a proximity search using "tip to tip" and swan in combination. The latter option is especially significant in that many of the notations indicate the wing-span of the swan. This feature is also very useful in evaluating if the species being referred to was a trumpeter or a tundra swan. Trumpeter was the least useful word.

Once a record was located, the account was printed and key bibliographic details noted. The details were then entered into a relational database with a strict requirement for consistency and thoroughness. There are three entries for each record: 1). source details indicating a citation and source particulars, including date of issue ; 2). site details designated as a distinct geographic locale, if needed; and 3). specifics of the report, which is usually a summary of the article.

Four Decades of Newspaper Records

A first record for this evaluation is from 1843, and the final record considered is from 1885, the self-determined termination year for this project regarding ornithological history for northern America.

The following list is a summary of the found details. There are many more references to swans in the newspaper chronicles, but these appear to refer to the Trumpeter Swan, based on the particulars given.

An example of an indistinct species identification is this account: "A flock of white Swans made their appearance in Hempstead Bay last week, and one of them was shot. He was of full size, but rather thin in flesh, weighing but 17 pounds. It is very rarely that these birds visit our bays, and these must have been driven from their course by the late severe gales." — New York Post, December 1846

The records are given in a consistent manner, noting the year seen, a designated date is it could be determined, the record site and state (without the designated county which is part of the recordset), date when seen if indicated (with a special recognition of timeanddate.com for its essential service), notes derived from the newspaper item and the citation used for the publication.

One confounding aspect of these records are that a record may have been originally issued in one newspaper, then replicated in a second newspaper which used the same details so a reference to a particular day may actually refer to an event that happened weeks earlier.

This summary does not include all of the subtle nuances of the original mention in the paper. To enjoy the original verbiage and expression, the source material can be read.

This is a preliminary list, since additional interest and effort can contribute to the history of this swan.

Any incorrect misinterpretations are solely the responsibility of the author.

1840s

• 1843; Feb 1843; Raleigh Vicinity; North Carolina
  on Tuesday last, white swan killed; measured 7 feet 4 1/2 inches from tip to tip of wings — Carolina Watchman 1843
• 1843; May 1843; Mukwanago, Wisc.; Wisconsin
  white swan shot near Mukwanago a few days since by J. Colburn which stands 5 feet tall and measures 7 feet and 11 inches from tip of one wing to that of the other — Burlington Free Press Jun 1843

1850s

• 1851; Feb 1851; Eastern Neck Island, Maryland; Kent County, Maryland
  gentleman shot with a rifle a swan weighing 30 pounds; measured 7 feet 4 inches from extremities of its spread wings — Southern Recorder Feb 1851
• 1851; Nov 1851; Sandusky, N.Y.; New York
  George Littleton, near Sandusky, shot a swan on the wing which measured 8 feet from tip to tip of wings — Pittsburgh Morning Post 1851
• 1851; Nov 1851; Kanawha River, Mason County, W.V.; West Virginia
  two swans killed last week; one by F. Dawson and the other by John S. Myers; one brought to town measures 7 feet from tip to tip of its wings; only kinds of these birds known to visit this section of the country — Gallipolis Journal 1851
• 1852; Southeast Nebraska Territory; Nebraska
  occasionally small flocks of swans — New York Herald 1852
• 1852; Jan 1852; Chautauque Outlet, Jamestown
  beautiful white swan, killed by Charles Barnes; measured 6 feet and 6 inches from tip to tip of wings; color purest white; two other swans present; bird purchased by E.A. Dickinson who succeeded in preserving the skin; placed in cabinet at Academy — Fredonia Censor 1852, et al.
  
• 1853; Feb 1853; Heron Island in the Potomac
  eleven swans killed at a single fire by Leonard Neal, F. Thompson and a colored boy; all three guns fired simultaneously; also, six killed the next day; width between tips of wings 7 feet 3 inches — Pittsburgh Morning Post 1853, et al. as originally from the Leonardtown Beacon
  
• 1854; Jan 1854; Bayside, Talbot County; Maryland
  F.W. Lowe shot a swan measuring across its wings 7 feet — Southern Recorder 1854


• 1856; Dec 1856; Humboldt Bay; California
  white swan, measuring 8 feet from tip to tip of wings shot — Sacramento Union Jan 1857


• 1857; Apr 1857; Pymatuning Creek, Trumbull County; Ohio; 4/2/1857
  George Thompson of Orangeville shot a large white swan; measured 6 feet 9 inches from tip to tip; a rare and beautiful bird — Western Reserve Chronicle Apr 1857


• 1859; Jan 1859; Plain Township, Wayne County, O.; Ohio; 1/1/1859
  George Kauffman shot a very large white swan on New Year's day; measured 7 1/2 feet from tip to tip of the wings — Pittsburgh Gazette 1859

1860s

• 1860; Feb 1860; Red Bluff, Cal.; California
  William Myers recently shot a swan, measuring from tip to tip of wings 7 feet and half an inch — Sacramento Union Feb 1860
• 1860; Mar 1860; Skunk River by Newton; Iowa
  two large and beautiful white swans killed by Frank Reeves; largest measured some 7 feet from tip to tip of the wing; such birds rare in this region — Cincinnati Press Apr 1860
• 1861; Feb 1861; Selinsgrove, Penn.; Pennsylvania
  persons shot a white swan in the river; measured 7 feet from tip to tip of its wings; Mr. Starick intends to stuff the skin — Union County Star 1861
• 1867; Apr 1867; Bruces Marsh, Springfield Township; Ohio
  shown one of the finest of white swans that we have ever seen; measured from tip to tip of its wings 7 feet; shot by A. Guiles — Ashtabula Telegraph Apr 1867

1870s

• 1871; Jul 1871; Stevens County, Minn.
  Prof. Moore returned from a hunting trip; one of the trophies was a large swan, the skin of which he dressed with the down on — St. Cloud Journal Aug 1871
• 1871; Swan Lake by Estherville; Iowa
  annual nesting place for swans — Cedar Falls Gazette Sep 1871
• 1872; May 1872; Greene County Pond; Iowa;
  train ran into an immense flock of birds; one stately swan had a wing injured in crash with railroad — Pueblo Chieftain 1872
• 1874; Mar 1874; Little Sioux River, Monona County; Iowa
  swan recently shot on Little Sioux; measured 8 feet and 10 inches from tip to tip of wings — Cairo Bulletin Apr 1874
• 1874; Apr 1874; Emporia, Lyon County; Kansas
  W.C. Smith, living a few miles east of the city, killed a white swan which measured 7 feet and 10 inches from tip to tip — Emporia News April 1874
• 1875; Mar 1875; Dry Fork Jasper County
  V.G. Bradbury killed a wild swan on Dry Fork; pure white; and 7 feet from tip to tip of wings — Carthage Banner Mar 1875
• 1875; Apr 1875; Quitman, Nodaway County, Missouri
  D. McH. Mckay and John W. Welsh killed a swan last Thursday; bird killed by McKay was at the Nodaway bottoms; Welsh killed his bird just west of Quitman — Nodaway Democrat Apr 1875
• 1875; Sep 1875; Grand River, Portland; Michigan
  large white swan, measuring 6 feet 4 inches from tip to tip of wings shot by Geo. Goodwin — Cheboygan Northern Tribune Oct 1875
• 1876; Dec 1876; Lake Winnebago by Oshkosh; Wisconsin
  for two or three weeks two or three large swans have been attracting the attention of sportsmen; Martin Madison on Tuesday shot one; measured 7 feet from tip to tip of its wings; color of purest white — Colorado Banner December 1876
• 1877; Apr 1877; Whitewater Falls, Winona County; Minnesota; 4/3/1877
  large white swan killed by Stacy H. White; measured 8 feet from tip to tip of wings — Winona Republican 1877
• 1878; Apr 1878; Peninsula of Sandusky Bay; Ohio; 4/6/1878
  John Bredehoft, a resident of the peninsula; shot a white swan a week ago last Saturday; bird exhibited at White's hardware in Sandusky; from tip to tip of wing the swan measured 9 and one-half feet and its length was 4 and one-half feet — Tiffin Tribune Apr 1878
• 1878; Apr 1878; Eagle Lake, Dakota; North Dakota; 4/8/1878
  hunter brought in from Eagle Lake a white swan which measured 7 feet between its extended wings and 6 feet from the end of its bill to the end of its tail; while hanging in front of Hallett & Keatings Meat Market it attracted considerable attention — Bismarck Tribune Apr 1878
• 1878; Nov 1878; Big Lake near Grand Tower; Illinois; 11/28/1878
  Sam Hewitt shot a trumpeter swan; white as driven snow or blemish that measured from tip to tip, 8 feet — Cairo Bulletin Dec 1878
• 1878; Dec 1878; Dry Creek near Oroville; California; 12/9/1878
  wild swan measuring 7 feet 3 inches from tip to tip of wings shot — Sacramento Union Dec 1878
• 1879; Mar 1879; Buck Pond, Monroe County; New York; 3/24/1879
  magnificent trumpeter swan shot at outlet of Buck Pond; five charges brought it down; body perfectly white; wings measured 6 feet from tip to tip — New York Post Mar 1879
• 1879; Apr 1879; Greece, N.Y.; New York
  party of young men shot a large white trumpeter swan; measured 6 feet across the wings — Wellsboro Agitator Apr 1879
• 1879; Nov 1879; Soap Creek near Corvallis; Oregon
  Mr. Bevens shot a swan that measured 7 feet from tip to tip of wings — Sacramento Union November 1879
• 1879; Nov 1879; Ten Mile Creek, Washington County; Pennsylvania; 11/19/1879
  white swan measuring 85 inches across the wings, and weighing 11 1/2 pounds shot; will be presented to the Sportsmen's Club of Pittsburgh — Bradford Reporter 1879
• 1879; Nov 1879; Santa Rosa, Cal.; California
  swan which weighed over 20 pounds and measured 6 feet from tip to tip of wings shot lately — Sacramento Union Dec 1879

1880s

• 1880; Jan 1880; Toombsboro, Ga.; Georgia
  Dr. W.R. Robinson recently killed a perfectly white bird measuring 7 feet from tip to tip of its wings — Columbus Enquirer-Sun Jan 1880
• 1880; Mar 1880; Winona - Homer; Minnesota; 3/31/1880
  Fred Moebus shot a large white swan; measured 8 feet 2 inches from tip to tip of wings; hunting between Winona and Homer — Winona Republican Apr 1880
• 1880; Apr 1880; Prairie Creek, Platte County; Nebraska; 4/6/1880
  J.C. Tucker shot a swan on Prairie creek; measured 7 feet and an inch from tip to tip of wings; weighed 14 pounds — Columbus Journal Apr 1880
• 1880; Dec 1880; Knappa, Or.; Oregon
  Mr. Minnaker killed a swan recently which measured 8 feet from tip to tip of wings; probably weighed not less than 30 pounds — Astorian January 1881
• 1881; Mar 1881; Mount Vernon, Ohio; Ohio; 3/12/1881
  two white swans were killed out of a flock of seven; measured 7 and a half feet from tip to tip of wings — Indianapolis Leader Mar 1881
• 1881; Mar 1881; Delaware River Flats, Jersey Side; New Jersey; 3/29/1881
  W.J. Oglesby was gunning for ducks; came across a pair of fine large white swans; killed one; measured 7 feet 2 inches from tip to tip — Chester Times Mar 1881
• 1881; Nov 1881; Butte County, Calif.; California
  Butte county hunters killed a swan which measured 7 feet 9 inches from tip to tip of wings — Sacramento Union Nov 1881
• 1881; Nov 1881; Smallwood Place, Shenandoah River; Virginia; 11/10/1881
  Jas. H. Smallwood shot a swan; measured from tip to tip of wing 7 feet, and from bill to tail 4 1/2 feet, and weighed 18 pounds — Stephens City Star 1881
• 1882; Dec 1882; Rock Lake, Jefferson County; Wisconsin
  H.F. Conklin shot a white swan which measured 7 feet and 4 inches from tip to tip of its wings — Sturgeon Bay Expositor Independent Dec 1882
• 1882; Spirit Lake, Ia.; Iowa
  swans; among large variety of birds; nest here — Spirit Lake Beacon 1882
• 1883; May 1883; La Moure, North Dakota; North Dakota
  A.J. Smith shot a beautiful white swan, weighing 11 pounds and measuring 6 feet from tip to tip of wings; intention is to have it stuffed — Jamestown Alert May 1883
• 1883; Jun 1883; Columbia Slough; South Dakota
  large white swan shot in the slough 5-6 miles east of Columbia; measured about 9 feet from tip to tip and is a beautiful specimen — Jamestown Alert Jun 1883
• 1884; Mar 1884; Republican River, Webster County; Nebraska; 3/5/1884
  O.G. Roberts east of town on the Republican, shot and killed a large white swan which measured 7 feet from tip to tip; neck nearly 3 feet long — Red Cloud Chief Mar 1884
• 1884; Apr 1884; South Stockton Pond, Chautauqua County; New York
  wild white swan shot; distance between tips of its wings measured 7 feet; on display at Jamestown — Buffalo Express 1884
• 1885; Jan 1885; Umpqua River by Roseburg; Oregon; 1/10/1885
  Charley Clements and Perry Lewis killed three large swans; swan known as the trumpeter, according to taxidermist Langenberg — Marshfield Coast Mail 1885
• 1885; Jan 1885; Canon City, Colo.; Colorado; 1/22/1885
  Mr. Gardner killed a swan which measured 8 feet from tip to tip of its wings — Colorado Transcript 1885
• 1885; Mar 1885; Columbus, Indiana; Indiana
  James Pearce killed a white swan measuring 7 feet six inches between wing tips — Hocking Sentinel 1885
• 1885; Mar 1885; Platte River, Fremont; Nebraska
  Frank Moore killed a swan on the Platte River near Fremont; measured 7 feet from tip to tip of wings — Sioux County Herald Apr 1885
• 1885; Mar 1885; Tippecanoe City; Ohio
  A.E. Burkholder killed a large swan; wingspan of 8 feet — Springfield Globe-Republic Mar 1885
• 1885; Jul 1885; Ludlow Falls, Ohio; Ohio
  white swan shot; measured 8 feet from tip to tip of wings; from tip of bill to tip of tail four feet seven inches; weights 18 pounds and is now on exhibition — Omaha Bee Aug 1885

More than twenty states are represented by these records, and include, in alphabetical sequence:

1. California (5 records)
   
2. Colorado (1)
   
3. Georgia (1)
   
4. Illinois (1)
   
5. Indiana (1)
   
6. Iowa (5)
   
7. Kansas (1)
   
8. Maryland (3)
   
9. Michigan (1)
   
10. Minnesota (3)
    
11. Missouri (2)
    
12. Nebraska (4)
    
13. New York (5)
    
14. North Carolina (1)
    
15. North Dakota (2)
    
16. Ohio (7)
    
17. Oregon (3)
    
18. Pennsylvania (3)
    
19. South Dakota (1)
    
20. Virginia (1)
    
21. West Virginia (1)
    
22. Wisconsin (3)
    

The records given here are new information regarding the historic occurrence of the Trumpeter Swan in North America. Not included here are a myriad of other published reports including historic journals or narratives, items in early ornithology journals and other miscellany — also from prior to 1885 — which refer to the occurrence of this iconic swan in northern America. In combination, they convey an indicative occurrence and distribution for this and other species prior to 1885.

Source Citations

This list of citations does not conform to the usual established strictures of some modern-era bird journals for several reasons. The records documented in the bird database are from more than eight thousand sources. There are instances of several records on different dates for one month in a particular year and from the same newspaper, so a suitable method to indicate a unique citation had to be derived. This was followed in a strict manner so the origin of the record was distinct and obvious. Multiple references for a single sighting had to be dealt with. This list of citations is derived from my database of records. Sometimes the published newspaper does not indicate the volume and issue, so there might be some inconsistency, since only what is available can be indicated.

» Ashtabula Weekly Telegraph 18(14): 3. Issued April 6, 1867. From the Reporter.

» Bismarck Weekly Tribune 5(45): 4. Issued April 12, 1878.

» Bradford Reporter 40(25): 2. Issued November 20, 1879.

» Buffalo Express, page 6. Issued April 9, 1884.

» Burlington Free Press 16(52): 2. Issued June 2, 1843. From the Wisconsin Courier.

» Cairo Bulletin, page 2. Issued April 3, 1874.

» Carolina Watchman 31(11): 2. Issued February 25, 1843. From the Raleigh Star.

» Carthage Banner 9(9): 3. Issued March 4, 1875.

» Cedar Falls Gazette 12(26): 1. Issued September 29, 1871.

» Cheboygan Northern Tribune 1(12): 4. Issued October 2, 1875. From the Portland Observer.

» Chester Daily Times 10(1411): 3. Issued March 30, 1881.

» Cincinnati Daily Press 3(38): 1. Issued April 4, 1860. From the Newton Free Press.

» Colorado Banner 2(13): 6. Issued December 21, 1876. From the Oshkosh Northwestern.

» Colorado Transcript 19(10): 2. Issued January 28, 1885.

» Columbus Daily Enquirer-Sun 22(7): 3. Issued January 8, 1880.

» Columbus Journal 10(49): 3. Issued April 7, 1880.

» Daily Astorian 14(1): 3. Issued January 1, 1881. On January 7th in Williamette Farmer.

» Daily Cairo Bulletin 10(140): 4, new series. Issued December 1, 1878.

» Daily Pittsburgh Gazette 72(27): 2. Issued January 11, 1859.

» Emporia News 17(15): 3. Issued April 10, 1874.

» Fredonia Censor 32(6): 4. Issued April 6, 1852. From the Jamestown Journal. Also: April 17, 1852 in the Erie Observer 22(49): 2.

» Gallipolis Journal 17(1): 2. Issued December 4, 1851.

» Hocking Sentinel 43(51): 1. Issued April 2, 1885.

» Indianapolis Leader 2(32): 2. Issued March 19, 1881.

» Jamestown Alert 5(47): 1. Issued June 15, 1883.

» Jamestown Weekly Alert 5(42): 4. Issued May 11, 1883. From the Lisbon Star.

» Marshfield Coast Mail 7(3): 3. Issued January 15, 1885. From the Roseburg Plaindealer of January 9th.

» New York Evening Post 78(n.a.): 1. Issued March 31, 1879.

» New York Herald 7141: 3. Issued May 20, 1852.

» Nodaway Democrat 6(23): 1. Issued April 15, 1875.

» Omaha Daily Bee 15(42): 2. Issued August 8, 1885.

» Pittsburgh Daily Morning Post 10(101): 4. Issued November 14, 1851.

» Pittsburgh Daily Morning Post 11(178): 2. Issued February 25, 1853. From the Leonardtown (Md.) Beacon. Also: February 26, 1853 in the Richmond Daily Dispatch 3(113): 1.

» Pueblo Daily Chieftain 1(29): 2. Issued May 31, 1872.

» Red Cloud Chief 11(34): 5. Issued March 7, 1884. Also: March 20, 1884 in McCook Weekly Tribune 2(42): 6.

» Sacramento Daily Record-Union 14(74): 1. Issued November 15, 1881.

» Sacramento Daily Record-Union 7(253): 3. Issued December 17, 1878. From the Oroville Mercury.

» Sacramento Daily Record-Union 8(308): 8. Issued November 8, 1879.

» Sacramento Daily Record-Union 8(332): 6. Issued December 6, 1879. Similar note in December 13, 1879 issue.

» Sacramento Daily Union 12(1802): 3. Issued January 5, 1857.

» Sacramento Daily Union 18(2776): 2. Issued February 18, 1860.

» Sioux County Herald 14(16): 2. Issued April 2, 1885.

» Southern Recorder 32(5): 7. Issued February 4, 1851.

» Southern Recorder 35(5): 3. Issued January 31, 1854.

» Spirit Lake Beacon 12(15): 1. Issued March 9, 1882. From Forest and Stream.

» Springfield Globe-Republic 5(111): 4. Issued March 30, 1885.

» St. Cloud Journal 14(3): 3. Issued August 3, 1871.

» Stephens City Star 1(20): 2. Issued November 26, 1881.

» Sturgeon Bay Weekly Expositor Independent 10(9): 4. Issued December 8, 1882.

» Tiffin Tribune 30(28): 2. Issued April 11, 1878.

» Union County Star and Lewisburg Coronicle, page 2. Issued February 15, 1861.

» Wellsboro Agitator 26(14): 4. Issued April 8, 1879.

» Western Reserve Chronicle 41(35): 3. Issued April 15, 1857. From the West Greeneville Times.

» Winona Daily Republican 18(5383): 3. Issued April 9, 1877.

» Winona Daily Republican 21(6203): 3. Issued April 1, 1880.

Notes in these newspapers contribute to a better understanding of the history of the Trumpeter Swan. Even more attention can be given to the historic records of this wonderful bird, if there were no limitations upon source material access.

There are opportunities for further evaluating historic occurrence and distribution. Especially since, overall, this database has 349 records for the Trumpeter Swan if all sources are included.

Cooperative Attention to Wintering Trumpeter Swans

An early year arrival of majestic Trumpeter Swans has meant a cooperative effort by many interested in our avian neighbors, and that cared enough to share details of a unique event.

This whole situation started early in January 2014, when local birder Justin Rink was at Carter Lake, viewing the scene from the Nebraska side, and took the time afterwards to post the results of his survey.

Dramatic among the waterfowl was one of the many swans which had an orange-colored marker on one of its wings.

It was a mark that could provide a history for this birds, one of the many among the flock at a bit of open water during the frigid "polar vortex."

Rink's online post indicated: "One orange-tagged adult labeled 387."

Soon thereafter, other bird enthusiasts visited the lake, to see the waterfowl congregation.

Loren and Babs Padelford visited on the 11th, posting online their fowl observations. On the 12th, Robert, a member of the NEBirds forum posted a picture of the tundra swan. Another member Ruthie Stearns, visited from Lincoln, during a time when Omaha birder Betty Grenon was also visiting the lake.

It was the bird with a label that was an especially significant observation.

"Others in this series were released in" southern Minnesota, said Madeleine Linck, of the Trumpeter Swan Society, based in Minnesota. "Generally, if the tag is on the right wing it would have been sexed as a male."

She forwarded my inquiry to Steve Kittelson, a wildlife lake specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Subsequent details convey the special life of this big bird.

"Here is the release information on wing tag #387 in May 2011. I do not have any other information on sightings of #387 after release. A sibling, wing tag #388 was released with #387. #388 was reported with #391 (likely) at Squaw Creek, Missouri in April 2013 (see #3 below)."

Further details from Jon Schneider of Ducks Unlimited, indicate a unique perspective of success associated with this birds previous occurrence, up north in Minnesota.

"A photo 3314 which shows a tundra swan in the foreground and one of our trumpeter swans (387) in the background at Jennie Lake. I never cease to be impressed by continuing progress in habitat restoration that is being accomplished by these collaborative projects with Ducks Unlimited and the Section of Wildlife thanks to LSOHC.

"Pictures of 316-acre Jennie Lake in Douglas County (south of Brandon, east of Alexandria) taken by me on November 1 at the peak of duck migration. Recall Jennie Lake was one of the 8 shallow lakes enhanced by DU in partnership with DNR Wildlife through our initial 2009 OHF appropriation for “shovel ready projects” and was one of the stops on the initial LSOHC tour in 2009 (or 2010?)."

Trumpeter Swans at Jennie Lake, Minnesota. Photograph courtesy of Jon Schneider.

Jennie Lake is about 320 miles from Carter Lake, and is about directly north as the swans fly.

Ongoing Attention

The interest and followup by staff of the Omaha World-Herald are the "final chapter" for this unique saga. A positive response to a story suggestion to Nancy Gaarder, a pictorial effort by supreme photographer Mark Davis who knows what it takes to get grand images of swans at Carter Lake (as he has done once before), and others have come together to present a story of the swans.

This same bird is shown in a previous photograph, and was also among a flock of swans and coots up north.

Birdly Significance

The collaboration which has brought about this recognition is unique in the annals of plains ornithology. So many elements came together through a team effort.

Its a special month for the swans. Only if it would be possible to give #387 a treat, because the swans are oblivious, and that is why it is so important to work on their behalf!

Further Sightings

Date	Carter Lake	Desoto NWR	Schilling WMA
01 Jan	18	- -	- -
03 Jan	19	- -	- -
05 Jan	16	- -	- -
08 Jan	- -	12	- -
09 Jan	22	- -	- -
11 Jan	11	- -	- -
13 Jan	16	- -	- -
15 Jan	- -	- -	22
19 Jan	28 *	- -	- -
* Greatest count ever based upon records for this locality since 1998.

These are the current sightings of Trumpeter Swans Along the Middle Missouri River during January, 2014

The number of Trumpeter Swans present at Carter Lake this month exceeds any numbers previously reported, especially in 2013. Every count thus far in 2014 have indicated more than ten of these swans, whereas all previous reports were for eight or fewer swans, with 19 of the twenty counts six or less.

Current season observations at Carter Lake by Justin Rink, Ruth Stearns, with other mentions by others, as well as a personal visit on January 5th. Desoto NWR records from refuge staff bird survey. Schilling WMA report by Clem Klaphake, who indicated that swans were present during the Omaha Christmas Bird Count done in latter December. Nearby, at the Cass County sandpit lake, there were 22 swans present, including one with a red neck band.

This is the NEBirds report by Daniel Leger, of Lincoln, for activities Sunday evening at Carter Lake.

"I was at Levi Carter Park in Omaha yesterday, arriving around 4:15. By 5:00 there was a crowd of about 30 folks looking for the swans. Justin Rink and Clem Klaphake were among the throng, most of whom were apparently drawn by an article in the Omaha World Herald.

"Three Trumpeters (the tagged adult and two juveniles) were present when I arrived. Others started coming in around 5:15 but most of them didn't come in until around 5:40. There were over 20 Trumpeters plus the juvenile Tundra. The only downside was that it was getting fairly dark by the time the Tundra appeared.

There were 22 Trumpeters present in the morning and 30 in the afternoon on January 23rd. The ambient temperature in the morning, when the following picture was taken, was -5^o with a -24^o windchill.

Trumpeter Swan History from Carter Lake

On February 23, 2003 two Trumpeter Swans with neck bands were seen on the south side of Carter Lake, which would be the Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa portion of the oxbow lake of the Missouri River.

The markings on the red neck bands were J50 and J84.

Once these details were obvious, an email was sent to Dave Hoffman, a wildlife technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. He provided the following details which indicated that at least two of the five swans present were from Iowa.

J50 was 2000 hatch year male from Beemer's pond (five miles west of Webster City, Iowa). He was released at Crawford Creek (Ida Co.), three miles south of Battle Creek, (Ida county, Iowa) on May 18, 2001.

This bird had also been previously seen January 27, 2002 at County Highway A and 144th St. five miles west of Kearney (Clay county), Missouri.

J84 was a 2000 hatch year female from Rick Stickle's (Kirkwood Community College) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was released at Princeton WMA, two miles north of Princeton (Scott county), Iowa on April 11, 2001.

These details suggest that when Trumpeter Swans occurred in early-January through early-March in 2013, the birds may have been from places in Iowa.

In 1995 the Iowa Department of Natural Resources initiated a trumpeter swan restoration project in the state with the release of ten trumpeters near Spirit Lake in northwest Iowa, Hoffman said.

These records from my bird archive indicate the effort was an obvious success a decade ago, and appreciated on the west side of the Missouri River. Then and now!

Location and Habitat Size of Sandhill Lakes Used by Swans

Scattered among the vast grassland expanse of the Nebraska Sandhills are numerous lakes and marshes that are breeding habitat for an interesting diversity of nesting waterbirds, including the Trumpeter Swan, the largest of the North American waterfowl.

Before the turn of the century this swan was reported as a breeding bird on Watt's Lake, southwest of Valentine in Cherry Co. (Bates 1900), and was considered to have probably once bred at many lakes throughout the Sandhills region (Bruner 1904).

Trumpeter Swans as nesting birds were eventually extirpated from the lakes and marshes, due to indiscriminate shooting and disturbance, as the Sandhills were settled. Reintroduction efforts undertaken during the 1960's were required to return breeding Swans to Nebraska. Birds released at Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota eventually became established and a portion of this growing population entered the state to once again nest (Monnie 1966).

Since that time the population status of the Trumpeter Swan, as well as other breeding ducks and geese, has been evaluated during an annual waterfowl survey carried out to compare yearly trends (pers. comm., Rolf Kraft, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and John Sweet, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission). During these aerial surveys the lakes where Swans are observed and possibly breeding are recorded.

In order to assess the characteristics of the different lakes where Swans were present during the breeding season, an analysis of satellite imagery was undertaken to evaluate the relative amount of water and marsh habitat.

The habitat maps used to figure the amount of open water or marsh are available at the Remote Sensing Analysis Laboratory of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This laboratory has prepared an inventory of the location and size of wetlands for the Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The survey used picture elements from the scanner system of the Landsat Satellite to classify four wetland types: open water, marsh, subirrigated meadows, and riparian wetland. Any area inundated by surface or groundwater frequently enough to support vegetation adapted to survive in water-saturated soil was identified and mapped on a mylar overlay the size of the relevant U.S. Geologic Survey 7.5 minute quadrangle map (Turner et. al. 1980).

These overlays were used to measure the amount of open water or marsh at the Sandhills lakes where Trumpeter Swans had been observed. A measuring device connected to a Numonics Electronic Digitizer/Planimeter was traced around the elements designated by the survey. The area of open water or marsh could be determined in this fashion and the size in acres was then easily converted to hectares.

Alkalinity data was included because of the impact it has on the vegetation of the marsh plant community. This information is from a conibrehensive study of the lakes in the region (McCarraher 1977).

Results

The 23 lakes utilized by Trumpeter Swans occurred primarily in Cherry, Sheridan, and Garden counties (Figure 1, Table 1). They ranged in size from 12 hectare (ha) West Cottonwood Lake up to 253 ha Alkali Lake. Nineteen of the 23 were from 23 to 103 ha in size. West Cottonwood was exceptionally small. The average size was 72 ha. Omitting the lowest and the 3 highest overall size values (those over 103 ha) gave an average size of 56 ha.

Figure 1. Locations in the sandhills region where Trumpeter Swans have been observed during the breeding season.

All of the lakes, except for Hoover, had greater than 56% open water. The range was from the low value of 32% at Hoover Lake to 89% at the two Alkali Lakes in Cherry Co. The average amount of open water was 76% for all 23 lakes.

Open water habitat in the Sandhills has been classified as a submersed aquatic zone. This zone, which is one of three possible wetland zones, is characterized as open water containing floating and submerged aquatic vegetation. Representative species include common duckweed (Lemna minor), star duckweed (Lemna triscula), sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus) and common bladderwort (Urticularia vulgaria) (Gilbert et. al. 1980). Yellow water lily is an additional floating aquatic plant that is present.

Marsh was much less extensive than open water at the lakes, with only about one-fourth the amount of the total surface area. The values ranged from 11% to 68%, with an average of 24%. The marsh area has two plant zones. Dominant plants of the inner marsh zone are hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutus), duckweed (Lemna spp.), and arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.). Also found in this zone are common cattail (Typha latifolia), river bulrush (Scirpus fluviatilis) and giant burreed (Sparganium eurycarpum). The outer marsh zone has a highly variable plant composition of hydric grasses and sedges and an interspersion of mesic and zeric species from the marsh and neighboring upland plant community (Gilbert et. al. 1980).

Of the 21 lakes for which alkalinity is known, 12 (57%) are slightly alkaline, 1 (5%) is moderately alkaline, and 8 (38%) are of medium alkalinity.

Table 1. Habitat characteristics of sandhill lakes where Trumpeter Swans have been observed during the breeding season.
Map Site. No.	County	Habitat Size (Hectares)					Water Chemistry
	Lake Name and Location	Marsh	%	Open Water	%	Total	Alkalinity 1
	Garden
1.	Gimlet (T21N R44W)	12	38	20	62	32	slight
1.	Black Steer (T21N R43W)	14	17	68	83	82	slight
1.	Miller (T22N R43W)	12	32	25	68	37	moderate
	Sheridan
2.	Spade Ranch (T27N R41W)	17	20	70	80	87	medium
3.	Dolly Warden (T28N R42W)	9	35	17	65	26	medium
3.	Round (T28N R42W)	7	20	28	80	35	medium
4.	Frye (T35N R41W)	11	22	40	78	51	slight
4.	Hoover (T35N R41W)	36	68	17	32	53	slight
	Cherry
5.	Alkali (T34N R40W)	20	11	157	89	177	medium
5.	South Twin (T33N R39W)	15	36	27	64	42	medium
5.	Spall (T35N R39W)	13	39	20	61	33	slight
6.	Cody (T35N R33W)	37	23	125	77	162	slight
7.	Wolf (T29N R35W)	8	22	28	78	36	slight
7.	Home Valley (T29N R37W)	13	13	84	87	97	no report
7.	West Cottonwood (T28N R38W)	3	25	9	75	12	medium
8.	Rat (T29N R39W)	12	28	31	72	43	slight
8.	Fawn (T28N R39W)	6	26	17	74	23	slight
8.	Turpin (T28N R39W)	16	30	38	70	54	slight
9.	Alkali (T26N R39W)	28	11	225	89	253	medium
9.	School Section (T26N R40W)	38	37	65	63	103	slight
9.	Castle (T25N R39W)	25	25	76	75	101	slight
10.	Twenty-one (T29N R27W)	32	43	42	57	74	slight
	Brown
11.	Amer. Game Assoc. (T27N R24W)	10	19	42	81	52	no report
	Total	394	24	1271	76	1665
1. Data from McCarraher, 1977

The higher values for the amount of open water would seem to indicate that this lake characteristic may have more of an influence on use by Trumpeter Swans than the extend of marsh vegetation. Also, Swans were recorded more often on lakes that had only slight alkalinity.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank John Sweet and Rolf Kraft for providing the lake names and locations.

Literature Cited

Bates, J.M. 1900. Additional notes and observations on the birds of northern Nebraska. Proceedings of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union 1: 15-18.

Bruner, L., R.H. Wolcott, and M.H. Swenk. 1904. A preliminary review of the birds of Nebraska. Klopp and Barlett Co., Omaha, Nebraska. 116 pp.

Gilbert, M.C., M.W. Freel, and A.J. Bieber. 1980. Remote sensing and field evaluation of wetlands in the sandhills of Nebraska. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska.

McCarraher, D.B. 1977. Nebraska's sandhills lakes. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska. 67 pp.

Monnie, J.B. 1966. Reintroduction of the trumpeter swan to its former prairie range. Journal of Wildlife Management 30: 691-696.

Turner, J.K., D.C. Rundquist, A. Bieber, and L.C. Hamilton. 1980. Wetlands inventory of the Omaha District. Final Report, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Omaha, Nebraska. 110 pp.

March 1984. Location and habitat size of lakes in the Nebraska sandhills utilized by trumpeter swans. Nebraska Bird Review 52(1): 19-22.

Notes on Nebraska Fauna ... Trumpeter Swan

The discovery of swan colonies at Red Rocks Lake, Montana, Yellowstone National Park and several other isolated locations, brought the known population in 1932 to 69 birds. Only the enactment of protective legislation and establishment of a national wildlife refuge at Red Rocks Lake, served to reverse the trumpeter's slide toward extinction.

Adult trumpeters are almost completely white with a rusty stain on the white head and neck from feeding in southern marshes with ferrous-rich soils. The legs and bills are black with the lower bill having a flesh colored strip along the upper portion. Juvenile swans resemble adults but have brownish-gray plumage.

Original art by Neal Anderson.

Adult males have a wingspan of eight feet, females average six feet. A mature cob weighs from 21 to 38 pounds, and the more demur pen from 20 to 25 pounds.

The call of the trumpeter swan is perhaps the most important identifying feature. The loud, clear call has been compared to the notes of a French horn, and is maintained over a wide vocal range. Uttered singly or in widely spaced staccato fashion, a trumpeter's call can be heard up to a mile away.

As with all swans, the trumpeter is monogamous. A pair usually mates for life, though remating will occur if one is lost. The pair bond is usually when the birds are four to six years old, but optimum breeding conditions may permit individuals to pair and breed at an earlier age.

Nests are built in extensive beds of marsh vegetation. Found in water one to three feet deep, the nests are surrounded by open water that results from the uprooting of vegetation by the pair. Sedges, cattails and bulrushes are removed, primarily by the cob, and used by the pen to construct the nest. Nests are impressive, from six to 12 feet in diameter and averaging 18 inches in height. In areas where muskrats are found, the nest is typically placed on a muskrat den. The same nest will commonly be used for several years by the same pair.

Once the nest is prepared, a clutch of four to six off-white eggs is laid, one every other day. Incubation begins with the last egg. Although both parents are present at the nest, only the pen incubates, and in 33 to 37 days, the clutch hatches. The hatchlings are brooded at the nest for 24 hours before the family group moves off to feed and swim in the marsh.

During their early days, cygnets feed on aquatic insects, crustacea, and aquatic plants in shallow water.

Young trumpeter swans hatch out at seven to eight ounces but develop rapidly and may weigh 19 pounds at 10 weeks of age. The steadily growing cygnets are fully feathered in about 10 weeks but are unable to fly until 13 to 15 weeks old. Once the young swans have learned to fly, they spend the winter with the parents in a closely knit family group until driven off by the pen and cob when the mating period begins the following spring.

Since 1968, the largest of Nebraska's waterfowl has slowly made a comeback and is presently found in limited numbers in Cherry and Sheridan counties. With continued expansion, the trumpeter swan's distinctive voice and graceful presence will once again become commonplace across Nebraska's lake and marsh country.

November 1979. Nebraskaland Magazine 57(11): 50.

High Plains Swan Population Continues to Thrive

The number of Trumpeter Swans in the high plains flock continues to thrive.

Results of the 2010 autumn survey indicated a population of 524 swans, which is a "record-high count," but only one more bird than in 2009.

"There was an increase in the number of breeding pairs and birds in groups," according to the survey report. "The number of non-breeding pairs decreased by 16, but the number of broods and average brood size remained relatively unchanged."

The total population has shown a steady increase in the past few years, according to survey results:

1995: 214

2000: 321

2005: 358

2006: 427

2007: 398

2008: 429

2009: 523

2010: 524

Notably, the population has more than doubled in 15 years.

There were 174 cygnets noted during the 2010 survey, which compares to 171 in 2009. The total number of broods was 65 in 2010, and 63 in 2009.

The survey report indicates there were 65 pairs with cygnets in 2010 (60 in 2009) and 56 pairs without cygnets this past season (72 in 2009).

"The increase in total birds could be credited not only to the number of reproductively active pairs, but also wetland habitat quality," the survey report says.

The aerial survey was done from August 30 to September 1, and on September 8. The area surveyed has been similar in the past few years, and does not extend beyond the eastern boundary of Cherry county.

Survey results are available in a report by Shilo Comeau, of the Fish and Wildlife Service, out of Martin, SD, and Mark Vrtiska, of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Considering the Survey Report

The 2010 report of the autumn survey of Trumpeter Swans, is a slight variation on the 2009 report.

The introduction is the same text. The only items changed in the methods section were the dates for the survey, and temperatures.

The results section conformed to the changes as a result of the survey.

Figure 1 - a map of the region - is the same. Figure 2 was slightly modified by including an additional year of results.

The boiler-plate presentation of the results continues with Table 1 and Figure 3. There were no substantive changes in the Habitat Conditions section.

Once again on Page 5, was an aerial photograph of a sandhill's wetland, showing the mosaic of habitat, with three swans and a Great Blue Heron within the view.

The caption for the 2009 report said: "Picture taken from the airplane during the survey, ..." The same picture with the exact same caption were used in the 2010 report.

Obviously this is misleading since the exact same picture could not have been taken two years in a row. A slight change in the caption text could have indicated that the picture was from a previous year's survey, but this was not done.

Another item mentioned in the survey reports for 2010 and 2009, is "Habitat availability in the Sandhills is currently being modeled using data collected from previous surveys, and this should give managers an idea if there is enough habitat available for this flock to persist at the current objectives."

Since the exact same text has been issued for two years, will this same statement be given next year? There is no information available to indicate what is involved with this habitat modeling effort.

The value of this report is its presentation of the number of swans, but the report could be so much more than another rendition of what has already been presented. Conditions for Trumpeter Swans of the High Plains Flock change every year, and this years report did not indicate anything new in this regard.

Habitat Management

Nothing was said in the survey report for 2009 and 2010 regarding the potential for habitat management to provide additional habitat for breeding swans and their young.

One point of consideration is the potential for restoring a Grant County lakebed to its former condition.

The Sandhills Task Force has an application on file to the Nebraska Environmental Trust to recreate historic hydrological conditions at Egan Lake. The landowners are supportive.

If the site, which is not currently a lake, is no longer pumped to remove water, but which could have a greater extent and variety of wetland habitats, might provide an additional nesting site for a pair of swans, as well as other wetland birds.

There may be other similar opportunities for lake restoration within the sandhills, which is the core habitat of the High Plains Flock. There is no known evaluation which has focused on the potential to increase habitat among the hills' dunes.

Habitat restoration could be a key element to ensure a healthy population of the Trumpeter Swan, as well as other birdlife of the region's lakes and marshes.

Population of Trumpeter Swans in High Plains Flock Largest Ever

A late-summer aerial survey of Trumpeter Swans indicates the highest population ever known for the High Plains Flock of this species reintroduced to the region in the early 1960s.

"It is great that these swans have reached these numbers," said Shilo Comeau, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and coauthor of a report on the annual survey. This was achieved "without little intensive management from humans.

"The swans are recovering well."

A "record-high" 523 swans were counted during a survey of northwest Nebraska and southwest South Dakota carried out from August 31 to September 3, by biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, according to a report just issued by the federal agency.

There was an "increase of 22% from the 2008 estimate, and was primarily the result of a higher number of cygnets and breeding pairs observed. The number of breeding pairs increased, and correspondingly so did the number of broods and average brood size." The number of non-breeding pairs, did however, remain stable, according to the report.

"The flock continues to experience a positive growth rate of 4.8% annually from 1990 to 2009," according to the survey report.

High Plains Flock Trumpeter Swan Production Survey Results 1995-2009.

The aerial survey was conducted via a Cessna 182 airplane. An area in northwest Wyoming was not included this year, though it had been previously surveyed. There have not been any swans sighted here during the past seven years, according to the government report.

Additional birds in the eastern sandhills were counted via ground-based surveys by personnel of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

The number of young raised was readily indicated by the survey results, which indicated an increase in the number of breeding pairs and average brood size. The increase in cygnets "could be attributed to the coinciding factors of a large number of white [adult] birds becoming reproductively active and an improvement in habitat quality," according to the report. "This year the majority of wetlands in the survey area contained some water, cover, and the subaquatic food resources appeared abundant."

Conditions continued to also be favorable in the central and southeastern portions of the route, and swans have been expanding their range eastward, according to Nebraska Game and Parks Personnel. Three years ago survey efforts were extended further east in the sandhills. Biologists counted an additional 50 swans in this region during the recent autumn survey.

The birds in this area are a portion of the High Plains Flock, said Vrtiska, a coauthor of the swan survey report, and not from the increasing population in Iowa and Minnesota. "Right now, those groups tend to have distinct breeding and wintering areas," he said. There may be starting some overlap in eastern Nebraska, but without neck collars that could provide a certain identification, it is not known if these swans are from the sandhills flock.

Management Objective Achieved

Results of the survey denote the first time that the population objective for managing the Trumpeter Swan has been achieved.

The objective is "to develop a dispersed population consisting of at least 500 total birds counted during the production survey and 50 successful breeding pairs by 2010."

Results from this year, can be attributed to "improvement of breeding habitat coinciding with the maturity of the 2004 hatch year class." In 2004, "a relatively high number of cygnets were produced (107), making these birds reproductively mature."

The future for the swans looks good, according to the government report: "As long as habitat conditions remain favorable and no major stochastic event occurs, it is likely these parameters will continue to be achieved."

Improved habitat conditions for these waterfowl were a result of increased precipitation levels, the report indicated. Localities not suitable for the swans during recent drought conditions, have been used by these birds as wetland conditions improved with an increase in precipitation.

"Wetland that provided marginal breeding for newly established pairs during the drought may now be adequate for production," the report indicated. "Still the number of the pairs observed had no cygnets, but the number of breeding pairs did increase 43% from last year."

Sand hill "ranchers have also been a tremendous benefit for the swans," Comeau said, by their leaving wetlands intact and the relative isolation of many of the places where the swans breed, which limits any disturbance.

Wildlife officials are currently modeling the availability of habitat in the sandhills, and the results are expected to indicate if there are enough wetlands for the swan population to continue at the levels documented by the 2009 autumn survey.

"With decent precipitation," Comeau said, an ongoing "population of 450-550" swans could be expected.

Annual fall surveys to determine the number of Trumpeter Swans have been conducted for at least two decades in order to "track abundance trends in the flock and condition of the wetlands" where this swan - the largest species of waterfowl in North America - occurs.

Analysis of Trumpeter Swan Habitat Underway for Greater Yellowstone Region

Research is currently underway in the Yellowstone National Park region to understand habitats features of breeding habitat available for the majestic Trumpeter Swan, the largest swan in the world.

Laura Cockrell - a Master's program student at the Department of Biological Sciences of Eastern Kentucky University - is evaluating the "Historical Nest Site Use by Trumpeter Swans in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem."

The study revolves around the use of LANDSAT imagery in an "attempt to find ideal Trumpeter Swan nesting habitat based on the spectral reflectance" shown by the aerial images of habitat conditions, Cockrell said. This analysis includes a comparison of recent and historic images to "determine if the satellite images can be used to detect changes in the habitat over time. We are trying to see if the LANDSAT images can determine habitat features that have changed over time, which would cause the swans to abandon previously used nesting sites."

Laura Cockrell, with Grizzly Lake (one of our territories sampled) in the background. Images courtesy of Laura Cockrell.

Laura Cockrell, in an orange safety-vest worn when sampling in the eye of the public; in this case, along the roadway where Pelican Creek meets Yellowstone Lake.

"I plan to discern differences between historically used ponds and currently used ponds, and to identify local and landscape-level features that may have changed over the years and influenced the nesting preference and success of breeding Trumpeter Swans," Cockrell said in her research proposal. Information derived from the satellite imagery will be further evaluated, based on on-site evaluations conducted during the field studies phase of her research, that will include measuring vegetation, food availability, distance from the nesting pond to nearby ponds, water quality and an evaluation of the extent of lead present at nesting sites.

"The Yellowstone nesting population of Trumpeter Swans has decreased a great deal in the last few years, to the point that only three pairs of Trumpeter Swans occurred in the park" in 2009, with only one pair attempting to nest, she explained in an email.

"Although it has been long thought that the population that is nesting within the park is a sink population, which relies on populations in higher quality habitat outside of the park as the source population, there is still an interest - primarily fueled by bird watchers - in why the Yellowstone Park nesting population has declined."

Weather is a prominent, potential factor.

"Currently the Palmer Drought Severity Index shows that the Greater Yellowstone Region has been in an extended drought, which is likely a factor in the decline. Nesting populations outside the park have also recently seen reductions in nesting attempts as well as cygnets produced."

During July this year, Cockrell, and Matt Manuel, the research assistant, traveled to Yellowstone to sample habitat characteristics of sites historically used by Trumpeter Swans. Line transects were used to evaluate aquatic vegetation in 16 former swan territories, she said. The next onsite visit will be during late August and early September, 2010, when 20 territories can hopefully be sampled.

"I am using the UTM coordinates of line transects to determine the reflectance characteristics of the LANDSAT images and evaluate whether the LANDSAT reflectance is capable of determining" the suitability of the habitat for swans.

By mapping nesting locations and characteristics of "used" versus "potential" habitat, her research can be used to identify potential nesting sites. This information is expected to be a "valuable tool" for achieving objectives for management of the Trumpeter Swan in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

An example of LANDSAT imagery showing Trumpeter Swan habitat. This is an image of the "undisclosed location" where the swans attempted to nest during the summer of 2009.

If the research works as planned, "it will allow the park an easy method to track the quality of nesting locations," she said. "As the park does not actively manage for wildlife, but instead attempts to have a 'hands-off' approach to allow nature to take its own course, no management efforts are in place to improve or create nesting sites within the park. If conditions continue to change in an unfavorable manner, it is possible that resident swans could leave the park entirely, however this tool could help park biologists to monitor locations for potential future nesting swans. We certainly hope that natural conditions will change in time that the swans will again be successful within the park, however we cannot predict how the conditions will change.

"If this tool does work, managers of areas outside the park (e.g. Red Rocks Lake NWR) can use it to locate suitable nesting habitat, as well as locating suitable habitat outside of managed areas that could potentially be preserved. As the park population is thought to be a 'sink' population, with the breeding population outside the park as the 'source'. If these sites can be located and managed appropriately, there will be a greater number of swans looking for potential breeding sites in the future, and hopefully moving back into the park as conditions improve.

"As the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is linked as a whole, it will be beneficial to evaluate these locations and protect them from development or degradation. The trumpeter swan was brought to the brink of extinction, and the Greater Yellowstone population has been critical in bringing the entire trumpeter swan population back to stable levels. Through management efforts within the GYE, we are now seeing relocation and breeding efforts in the US and Canada trying to restore populations in historical areas, including much of the mid-west. If we can fine-tune this tool to locate these ideal sites, it could potentially assist agencies who are attempting to find suitable relocation sites for their population restoration efforts.

Her biological research with the Trumpeter Swans is a continuation of Cockrell’s interest in studying waterfowl, which started with a college course.

"I became interested after working in my undergrad at California State University, Chico (my hometown college) where I took a natural History course on waterfowl from Jay Boggiatto, Cockrell explained. Under Professor Boggiatto, "I worked on a wintering ecology project with American and Eurasian Wigeon, as well as working for the California Department of Fish and Game, monitoring for waterfowl die-offs during the winter and Wood Duck monitoring during the spring and summer. I also worked for the California Waterfowl Association banding ducks in the Sacramento Valley."

The swan project was started by her adviser, Dr. Robert Frederick, whom did work similar to this during a sabbatical in 2006, working with Rick Sojda from the United States Geological Survey. "My graduate work is a continuation of the work that he began which originated by trying to find appropriate wintering locations for trumpeter swans in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem."

A trumpeter swan research sign posted in the Targee National Forest, just south of Yellowstone Park.

An "undisclosed" location where trumpeter swans attempted nesting this year. The birds are visible in the distant background.

The trip to evaluate swan habitat at Yellowstone Park last summer, was her visit, Cockrell said. "It was an amazing experience, especially working for over three weeks. The majority of park visitors never travel through the back country, whereas the majority of our work took us through back country hiking trails. We sampled across virtually every area of the park this year, and I look forward to traveling back to the park next year and seeing an entirely different season of the park, as well as new sampling locations. Traveling through areas such as the Lamar and Hayden Valleys were incredible with the amount of wildlife present. We were forced to re-think our travel plans more than once because of wildlife (such as a bison 'surprise' or grizzly kill along a hiking trail)."

"We went into this project not expecting to encounter any of the swans, however we were excited to see a total of five trumpeter swans during our trip; one pair that attempted nesting and failed, one pair that did not attempt to nest, and a solitary swan who has lost its mate and has not yet re-mated (we did not locate the third pair during our trip this year). It was rather bitter-sweet to see the swans - they are beautiful birds but it was sad to see them knowing that no cygnets were produced. The solitary swan prevented us from sampling the territory since drought conditions have shrunk the pond it was on to a size where we could not sample without disturbing the swan, which would have violated park policy. In all of our swan sightings, we were very careful to minimize any potential disturbance that would cause the swans to abandon their chosen territory.

"It was definitely an incredible journey!"

A $10,000 grant from the Yellowstone Foundation was provided for this research to fund a stipend, and to pay for lodging and travel and field equipment, and for which Cockrell is very appreciative.

Staff at Yellowstone National Park were also very helpful: "Thanks to Dr. Doug Smith of YNP for his help coordinating my field research and funding, and to Christie Hendrix from YNP permit office, Lisa Baril, Leslie Henry, and Josh Irving (all of YNP) for their assistance with field work. A big thanks to Matt Manuel, who was my field assistant during the entire trip, and to Dr. Frederick - my adviser at EKU." Additional financial support is being provided by Eastern Kentucky University.

A final report for this project is expected in October 2010.

Cockrell hopes to continue working with waterfowl following the completion of her thesis research and coursework at EKU.