Trumpeter Swans

As recently as 1960 there were virtually no trumpeter swans remaining in Minnesota. They had been hunted into extinction. In 1980 a restoration movement began, with young swans and eggs being brought into the state. According to a newspaper article written a year ago, there were 5500 swans counted in the state. (I learned something today).

These swans are just outside of Watertown where Bob keeps his side of a small lake aerated all winter so the swans have a place to stay. Apparently the new swans have lost their instict to fly south for the winter! Bob was feeding about 250 swans this winter, compared to about half of that last year. Today he has about two dozen remaining, most of them having flown off to other areas for nesting. I wish I would have know about this in February when I was struggling for something to blip! Next year.