Trumpeter Swans at the Bark River Trail in Waukesha County on January 9, 2023

One of my birding stops today provided nice looks at 2 Trumpeter Swans at the Bark River Trail in Waukesha County. The Trumpeters fed the whole time I was present. It was stirring the water with their feet, diving and eating what they stirred up. A few Mallards were present always trying to get in by them for that food. It was a pleasant morning with temps around 26 degrees for the start of January and a nice sunny day to go along with that, low winds. Images were taken on January 9, 2023.

One of two Trumpeter Swans present…

Stirring up the river bottom getting food…

Down for food…

Just up from under water…

Feeding, this was typical…

More stirring the river bottom for food…

Going down for feeding…

Trumpeter Swans at Frame Park in Waukesha Wisconsin on March 4, 2020

At ​Frame Park today in Waukesha along the Fox River a couple of Trumpeter Swans had come in since my morning visit. ​Sometimes it pays to check places out twice in one day! ​Always nice to see something different as everyone is anxious for the start of spring migration. These 2 – 1st summer birds floated down the middle of the river when I arrived. After some distance they stopped and did some feeding. Canada Geese joined them in the area as food must have been plentiful. They did not do much other than a little preening and the feeding. A bright sunny day finally with not much wind and temps around 40 degrees. Images were taken on March 4, 2020.

Trumpeter Swans the pair…

Just up from something to eat…

Some preening…

Both underwater getting something to eat, aquatic plants…

Looking pretty…

Just a nice look…

The close-up…

More preening…

I would call this a short scoot…

Just up from eating some aquatic plants…

Another view…

Trumpeter Swans the pair…

Trumpeter Swans with Cygnets at the Horicon Marsh in Dodge County Wisconsin on June 6, 2017

I thought it was time to head up to the Horicon Marsh to see what was going on and glad I did. One of the highlights of the day was watching one Tumpeter Swan, then two along with the cygnets feed and paddle around. When the second adult joined the group, there appeared to be some great trumpet sounds, really, like welcome back to the family! The two adults stirred the bottom by paddling and brought probably up aquatic insects which is what they eat at this age. It was an exciting time watching these adult swans doing their routine feeding the young with no distractions. It was a beautiful day with mostly full sun and pleasant temps, winds were low in the morning. Images were taken on June 6, 2017.

The family…

Trumpeter Swan

Binomial name: Cygnus buccinator

Category: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Size: 60” long, 80” wing span

Weight: 23 lb

Their necks are stained from feeding…

2nd adult joins the group, I hear trumpet like calling with each other…they were so glad to be together…:)

1st adult stretching here…

Cygnets feeding here with some fresh churned-up vegetation for aquatic insects…

Cygnets

Cygnets

Waiting for some fresh vegetation to dig through that the adult brought up from the bottom…

Both adults stirring the bottom by neck work under the water…

Cygnets feeding here with some fresh churned-up vegetation for aquatic insects…

Both adults stirring the bottom by neck work under the water…

Here the adult is paddling the bottom stirring up the vegetation…

Cygnets finding things to eat…