[obol] Is there any estimate of Tundra Swans wintering in the Willamette Valley?
- From: Priscilla Nam Hari Kaur <priscillanhk@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OBOL <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 11:51:38 -0800
Dear OBOLites;
I know Tundra Swans winter in the Willamette valley, and are found in
numerous
places, all the way as far south as Fern Ridge Reservoir. But what I am
wondering is if there is any approximate estimate of just how many of them
there are here in Oregon? I haven't looked at range maps to see where else
they spend the Winter, but I suppose there are lots of other locations.
When I lived in Alvadore a mile from Fern Ridge dam in the late 70s,
a flock of 400-600 Whistling Swans (their name in those days) would fly low
over the house most every evening at dusk. That was such a sweet pleasure
as they "whistled" melodiously the whole time. I would often "prime myself"
before hand and go out on the covered porch and sit and listen for them.
I had only heard-seen them a year or two before that for the first time
back at Finley Refuge near sunset (when I lived in Corvallis). I was on
Woodpecker Loop hill enjoying the sounds and sights of sunset, when I heard
children playing way off in the distance somewhere. Hooting and hollering
or so it seemed. Then a few minutes later I heard it again only it was much
closer and I realized it wasn't children's voices at all ...
At the very earliest crack of dawn, before I can even detect light, the
entire flock spending the night on the water at Fern Ridge all rises up at
once,
all calling, hooting and whistling as they head out to the farm fields for
the day. I've only gone out there to hear that a few times, and not at all
recently.
Priscilla Sokolowski
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