tundra swan

Description:

Smallest of the holarctic swans. Their thin whistling cries earn them the alternate common name whistling swan. They occasionally stop on the Oregon coast during migration, usually late winter/early spring.

Habitat:

temporary lakes/floodplain

Notes:

It has been nearly a decade years since I last saw them. There were close to 40 in this group and another 20 closer to my house.... all in all about 60 birds less than 2 miles from home. I saw them for 2 days. The pairs shown in the first two pictures were close to the highway where I'd stopped and hastily beat a retreat to the rest of the flock.