[obol] 11/20/06 - Union County : TRUMPETER SWANS

[AVITOURS at aol.com]

Birders -
 
I stopped by Morgan Lake this morning (11/20/06) around 9:30 AM to see what  
the recent winds might have brought in ... 30 +/- COMMON MERGANSERS were 
present  along with an adult BALD EAGLE.  I also saw 3 large looking Swans on Twin  
Lake (little Morgan), but did not have my scope with me.  Through  binoculars 
at that distance they looked just large enough and black lored to  prompt me 
to drive home and grab my scope & camera.  I returned to  the lake only to 
find that the Swans had disappeared.  Sh**!   Suddenly heavy rain started and 
then the three Swans reappeared in flight  and began landing back on Twin Lake.  
They did not vocalize. Feeling very  lucky, I directed the scope on the birds 
...  no yellow in the lores,  pointed crown/bill border, bill from commissoral 
point to eye very straight,  pinkish lower mandible edging, long laid back 
neck resting on back, and  evenly domed back.  These are only my second sighting 
of TRUMPETER  SWAN in Union County in over 5 years.  One of the three still 
retained  yellow legs and only vaguely had a pinkish wash on bill, indicating 
residual  juvenal characteristics.  The birds were still present when I left 
around  10:45 AM.  A photo of the near adult plumaged TRUMPETER can be viewed  
at:
 
_http://members.aol.com/avitours/TRUS.jpg_ 
(http://members.aol.com/avitours/TRUS.jpg) 
 
Good birding,
 
- Trent
 
Trent  Bray
The Bobolink - Linking Birders & Birds
1102 Washington  Ave.
La Grande, OR 97850
(541) 963 -  2888
avitours at aol.com
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