Swans A Swimming

Trumpeter Swans at the Horicon Marsh

I have seen the Trumpeter Swans swimming, but I haven’t seen them on their nest.  They have gotten so big not all of them fit in the nest at the same time even though their nest is quite impressive in size.  How many do you see?

Trumpeter Swans at the Horicon Marsh

Now how many do you see?  One of the parents headed out onto the water first.

Trumpeter Swans at the Horcion Marsh

The cygnets followed.  Apparently, one of the cygnets wanted some alone time.  He was taking a nap on the water near the nest.

Trumpeter Swans at the Horicon Marsh

There were quite a number of people who stopped on the north side of Highway 49 to watch the show with me.  There truly were seven swans a-swimming.  The songwriter for “The Twelve Days of Christmas” must have known that Trumpeter Swans typically have 4-6 cygnets.  Here there are two adults and five cygnets.

Trumpeter Swans on the Horicon Marsh

The scientific name for the Trumpeter Swan is Cygnus buccinator.  Cygnus is the Latin word for swan.  A cygnet is a little swan.  Buccinator is a muscle in our cheek.  We use it to play the trumpet.

Trumpeter Swans on the Horicon Marsh

Even swan siblings like to play in the water.

Trumpeter Swans on the Horicon Marsh

The cygnet’s bills are gradually turning black and their feathers are turning white.  I haven’t seen them fly yet.  Trumpeter Swans are North America’s heaviest flying birds.  Males can weigh over 30 pounds.

Trumpeter Swan at the Horicon Marsh

The lighting changed and a cloud drifted in front of the sun.  The rippling water turned gray.

Trumpeter Swan at the Horicon Marsh

The light changed again as the sun dipped lower in the sky and cast a golden glow in the evening.  Trumpeter Swans were once endangered with fewer than one hundred known to be living.  Their numbers have rebounded and we are blessed to be able to see them at the Horicon Marsh.

2 Comments

  1. Reply
    Jerry November 3, 2016

    So glad the Trumpeter swans have made a comeback. Will have to look for them next year on our trip to Wisconsin!

    • Reply
      Lisa November 3, 2016

      I’m glad they have made a comeback too! Yes, we will have to look for them next year when you can see them in person!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *