Whooper Swan - N. side of Stateline Rd. in White Lake unit, Feb. 6, 2011

[Kathy Larson]

 Hi all -

 

Ron & I discovered this photo of a Whooper Swan, after we returned home from birding the Lower Klamath NWR on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011.  The photo was taken in the White Lake Unit, N. side of Stateline Road about 1 pm on a beautiful sunny afternoon, with temp. 55 degrees & a lone lenticular cloud glowing near Mt. Shasta mirrored in the placid blue water.  The swans mostly kept their heads underwater, so this was a lucky shot!

 

Ron & Kathy Larson

Klamath Falls  

[Dave Hewitt]

Having not seen this bird and having never seen a Whooper Swan before,
I really have no opinion about this ID that should count! However, I
want to note that some people feel this is a Bewick's Tundra Swan. I
have received one message to that effect from someone off-list who saw
the posting on Sialia, and also a separate viewer of the bird in
California concluded the same thing:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/modoc-siskiyoubirding/message/160

For the record, in late Jan of last year Charlotte Ann saw a swan on
White Lake (CA side) that she concluded was a Whooper as well:

http://groups.google.com/group/klamathbasinbirdnews/msg/2771767ecb132438

There are only 3 records of Whooper Swan in Oregon that have been
accepted by the records committee and the last and only one from
Klamath was in 1998 (Kevin Spencer). This would be a huge record
indeed. More photos and more observers would be good, especially
noting comparisons with other Tundra Swans (in photos would be great),
and a report should be filed with the records committee:

http://www.oregonbirds.org/ofo9.html

- Dave Hewitt, Klamath Falls

>  Whooper Swan Lower Klamath NWR 2-6-11_048.jpg
> 35KViewDownload

[Dave Hewitt]

Just FYI, all responses I have seen so far (5) favor this as a
Bewick's Tundra Swan and NOT a Whooper Swan. Nonetheless, Bewick's
race of Tundra Swan is a species of record for Oregon and a report
should still be filed.

- Dave Hewitt, KFalls

[Dave Hewitt]

Forgot this in the last message -- you can follow responses on the
statewide list here:

http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html

- Dave Hewitt, KFalls

[Jim Carpenter]

For me, the distinctive calls among the wedges of swans overhead in the morning is the song of spring not to be missed.

Jim

Visit our Websites:
www.CarpenterDesign.com
www.BirdingandBoating.com
541 885 5450

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[Charlotte Ann Kisling]

Hi all,
That 1999 date may reflect what has been accepted, but Whooper has
been seen even on a Klamath Basin Audubon Winter Wings follow up since
then. One was seen on the Oregon side of White Lake and then flew to the
California side at the tail end of a string of Tundras. It was
noticeably larger than any of the Tundras. That same day we viewed the
leucistic Bald Eagle, so it must have been more recent than 1999 by a
fair number of years. When one showed up with three young in tow, they
were all assumed to be hybrids, but what was unusual was that another
adult was also at White Lake and was just about indistinguishable from
the female. This bird could well be one of those young. In the Larson
photo, it appears to be larger than the other swan near it.
Charlotte Ann

>>>> Ron& I discovered this photo of a Whooper Swan, after we returned home from birding the Lower Klamath NWR on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The photo was taken in the White Lake Unit, N. side of Stateline Road about 1 pm on a beautiful sunny afternoon, with temp. 55 degrees& a lone lenticular cloud glowing near Mt. Shasta mirrored in the placid blue water. The swans mostly kept their heads underwater, so this was a lucky shot!
>>>> Ron& Kathy Larson