Trumpeter Swans Nesting

I haven’t been able to get out much lately, so this is my first post in a long time.  I went with Bruce Grayum to Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge and saw quite a bit of wildlife, including a few trumpeter swans.  They are the world’s largest waterfowl, and were very rare here just a few years ago.  Now there are several nesting pairs in the refuge, and they can be seen in several places in the valley.

There was one pair preparing to nest on an island in the biggest pond along the auto tour route.  We could see the female dragging reeds into a pile for the nest.

Soon she left the nest and swam out to the male, then both took off and flew close to where we were watching.  Because of there size, trumpeter swans need a long runway for takeoff.

The two swam together, often bobbing their heads, which is flirtatious behavior in the swan world.

They were beautiful to watch swimming together and I hope we will be able to see baby swans soon.

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Eagle Nest

Bald eagles are fairly common here in the Bear Lake Valley, but they usually disappear after the snow melts.  But, for the first time, I found a nest in a dead tree.

I got permission to access the private property where this is located, and learned from the land owner that the nest has been occupied for at least three years.  The eagles turned out to be fairly tolerant of photographers, and would occasionally stay on the nest, but more often would leave.

Would the eagles raise a family this year?  On my fifth visit I saw just one eagle, but she landed on the nest as if sitting on eggs, so I was hopeful.  It was interesting watching her land.  She flew in low and fast then soared straight up and stalled over the nest where she could settle down easily.

Today, on my sixth visit, there was just one eagle, and I think the other has gone away.  This one perched on the branch instead of the nest.  She flew away and returned in a few minutes with a small kill, but ate it on the back side of the tree where I couldn't get photos.  She made no effort to sit on the nest or share food, so I don't think there are any eggs.  Perhaps a recent storm with 65 mph winds ended their nesting for this year.  I look forward to checking next year to see if they return.

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Red-shafted Flicker

A female red-shafted flicker is hollowing out a nest in a cottonwood in a city park here in Montpelier, Idaho.


It took her about one-half hour to return to the nest after I parked close by.


Flickers are woodpeckers, and do an amazing job hollowing out nesting cavities with their beaks.

I had never seen behavior like this before.  She would bring a beak-ful of wood chips to the entrance of the nest and spin her head as she dropped them out, so that they wouldn't accumulate in a pile at the base of the tree.  This spinning motion is so quick that it is blurred in the photo.

Once she got the nerve to return to the nest, she ignored me and worked to enlarge the hole.  Here she is, just before the head-spin to drop the wood chips.


When she is done, the nesting cavity will be 13 - 16 inches deep.  The male normally helps the excavation, but may have been too scared to come around while I was there.