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.

Thank you for viewing these photos.  Please do not use them for any reason without my permission.

Winter Wildlife

This has been a cold, snowy winter in the Bear Lake area.  Winters like this tend to drive the wildlife out of the hills to lower ground where food is easier to find.  We have had deer in our back yard eating our shrubs, and twice moose have spent time in town.  There have been plenty of opportunities for wildlife photos.

This bald eagle gave me the evil eye from a tree near Laketown, Utah.  I photographed an eagle just one tree away from this one a year ago.  Could it be the same bird?

A Mountain Cottontail at Cisco Beach didn't seem too concerned as he tried to keep a bush between us, and I finally got a few shots before he left.

Mule deer are everywhere, like this four point buck near Pegram, Idaho

Swans and ducks seem suspended in the mist of a warm farm pond in Round Valley.

People around here don't always sit at home with their feet to the fire during winter.

  Grab your camera and come to Bear Lake!