Another rare one

[boneaddict]

This is one you don't see everyday, unless of course you live in Alaska, or in BC.  These were a treat.

[boneaddict]

[Otto1]

You must have not visited Whatcom or Skagit county lately... I always like looking at a tumpetor or tundra and will blast away at a mute!

Did you take these photos in this state? looking at the surrounding foilage and the color of the grasses it may be rare,being that there is a breeding pair, but my guess is that photo was shot somewhere else prior to migration?

Here is a rare one for ya shot this winter through my spotting scope (about 200 yards out) and little cheap digital. This bird caused all sorts of havic in 3 counties.



here is another rare one, different species from the above one..

[jackelope]

You must have not visited Whatcom or Skagit county lately... I always like looking at a tumpetor or tundra and will blast away at a mute!

i was kind of thinking the same thing. thats a trumpeter, right?? i will never claim to be anywhere near a bird expert, but if it's a trumpeter, bone, you need to come over here some time. there's tones of them here up in skagit county.

[Otto1]

Those are trumpetors, my photos are not. Down in Skagit county the majority of the swan population is tundra though there are still plenty of trumps in there. In Whatcom county it is the opposite, mostly trumps.

[jackelope]

either or... thanks for straightening me out.
no bird expert like i said, i just know they're big and white and don't shoot 'em.

[boneaddict]

It was in BC.  But have seen them around.  Tundras are much more common.  I had no idea there were that many Trumpets on the west side though.  Pretty cool birds.

[jackelope]

great photo opp's if you're up for a road trip.
snow geese and swans all over the place.

[boneaddict]

I was in Kirkland yesterday.  I can't say I saw any geese, but sure did see alot other specimens. 
You guys can keep your traffic!

[jackelope]

damn bone...you should have stopped by. i'm in kirkland all day every day seemingly. traffic is great in kirkland...good thing you didn't end up in bellevue around 4:00. next time you're over this way, let me know, i'll buy lunch

oh and BTW, wrong time of year for snows and swans, and a wee bit too far south.

[boneaddict]

You're killing me with your smiley faces.  SHOW OFF!  I was doing an inspection at your hospital there.  Traffic wasn't that bad though we were on 405 and it wasn't the best as was 90 from Issaquah.  I was just reading taxidermy magazines so it all paid the same to me.  I got to eat dinner at some Italian place, Fat tires or something like that.  Good eats.

[jackelope]

worse yet...i work right around the corner from the hospital.
did you eat at cafe veloce?? the motorcycle place?? thats good stuff.
no more smileys
just too much time on my hands.

[boneaddict]

No I think they are COOL! 

Yep, Cafe Veloce or something like that.  Great food, gorgeous help, and did I mention the great food.  I had the Dungenes Scalopinni, with a side of bread.  Love it when somebody else is buying the groceries. 

[jackelope]

My wife's favorite.
although that place is outlawed for now. baby on board and italian food don't mix very well...plus since i quit my nasty smoking habit, i been gaining weight and that food is bad for me too. one of these days we'll go back.

[boneaddict]

Yeah, I'm betting I had about a 4,000 cal meal.

[Otto1]

What time of year in BC?

No guesses on the species of the two above photos? they are both different.

Here is some captures of sick birds from a few seasons ago. the Washington Waterfowl Association/ Whatcom chapter has volunteered thousands of man hours helping the WDFW find the lead sources.
We either capture live ones and euthanize or collect dead swans from Nov. thru March.







Here is what a bunch of dead ones look like. They are getting ready and thawing out the birds preparing them for necropsies.



this photo is of the Biologist taking a blood sample after the healthy bird has been net cannon captured and fitted with a radio collar for tracking



and the release,

[jackelope]

cool pics otto..thanks for sharing.
the wife and i along with the other thousand head up there every year to take pics when they are around

[boneaddict]

Cool pics!   I assume the yellow beaked fellar was a tundra swan and the other was a trumpeter.  You don't realize how big they are until you have one glide over your head, or holding them down like in that picture.

September.

[Alchase]

Otto1, What caused them to be sick? I do not think I have seen that many swans in one place before?

[Otto1]

allchase,, they have been dying from ingesting lead shot. It can take only 2-3 pellets and it will slowly kill one of those big birds. Some of the birds have well over a hundred of them in their gizzard and esophagus. They cannot pass them as they are heavy and do not break down unlike your typical grit waterfowl use to grind their food up. so that lead just sits their in the bottom and poisons their system. Eventually it will shut down all their vital organs and they die. Once they get it the are not re-habable so they get euthanized ASAP.

Bone-  you are getting a little closer by stating tundra but on the tundra their yellow blotch on the beak is usually no larger than your thumbnail.

The two yellow beaked birds above are two separate species... Any guesses a google search should yield the answer.

[Otto1]

allright........... the top one is called a whooper swan and the second one is a bewicks swan.

both of these shots were taken in Whatcom county