Trumpeter Swan

Description:

A juvenile Trumpeter Swan

Habitat:

On an area of lake kept open (unfrozen) most years by the river feeding into it.

Notes:

This is last summer's baby of the adult pair of Trumpeter Swans that befriended me last winter. I hadn't seen them in 11 months, as the area where I spent time with them last winter froze over completely until about a month ago. Once I noticed the lake had opened and Swans were there, I called out, "Hello!" and the male from last winter called back, "Ee-Oh" and promptly swam to the riverbank to greet me. I brought whole kernel corn with me but they ignored it and instead came up on the river bank and lay down on the snow about a car length or less away. I've since been back various times and this couple and their baby always come out of the water and join me on the river bank. I find their memory to be amazing as so much time had passed since I'd seen them but they knew me. When other people walked by on the bridge or got out of their cars, they immediately got up and headed towards the water so I can't help but think that we share a bond of on going trust. This was the first year I've had to hike down in 2-3 feet of snow and carry corn down in a sled. Its also the first time they've seen me with my grandson outside of the car but they've seemed to adjust to his presence and constant movements or wiggling without pretty well. More and different Swans approach me when I don't have my grandson along and the family I bonded with appear more relaxed as well so I try to spend as much time as I can down there when I don't have him with me.