[wisb] Which Swan?

I am puzzling over 2 swans I saw today. I know how you're supposed to be
able to tell Tundra and Trumpeters apart. *If* you can see the field marks,
some of which which are not all that clear cut, and not easy to see well
without good optics, steady hand/good tripod, little wind, the luck of being
close and the birds being cooperative enough to show the right
parts numerous times. That said, based on what I and a friend saw I'm pretty
certain of my ID. No scope - we only had bins.
I'm looking for some more clues to help verify the ID.
Voice: distinctive. but these were silent.

Habitat:. Wooded or marshy lakes/ponds make me think of possibly breeding
Trumpeters. Stubble cornfields and temporarily flooded fields - I suspect
Tundra migrating through. reasonable??

Timing: In summer the season helps - almost no tundras are here ( a very few
eBird reports). And in early spring migration (at least where I live)
they're mostly tundras. In Winter on open inland water (NE/NC Wi)-
Trumpeters. I've been poking around in eBird and it looks like right now,
either is possible in Wisconsin. Some of what I saw on eBird makes me wonder
about the accuracy of swan IDs submitted. Like approximately the same number
of swans in the same areas on the same or successive days reported as each
species by different observers. (please don't jump on me about this - who
among us doesn't make a mistake or decide a questionable ID is good
enough?!)

Anyway. I'm looking for some good swan ID habitat, range, life story links.
If you know of any, I'd  apprecitate a note. backchannel.

Nancy Richmond
Polar - Langlade Co.


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  • » [wisb] Which Swan? - Nancy Richmond