Date: 11/7/26 7:52 pm From: rainyday via AKBirding <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Saturday, November 7, 2026 Trumpeter Swans bathing
Saturday, November 7, 2026 Trumpeter Swans bathing
Seward, Alaska
Eleven TRUMPETER SWANS including four cygnets converged at the Nash Road Mile 1 wetlands last week. At first, the resident family with their one cygnet occupied the west side, possibly patrolling and guarding the ol’ nest territory while they dined.
The visitors bathed vigorously in the still water, dunking underwater, rolling over with one black webbed foot flailing midair, splashing, and stretching their powerful angel wings.
Gradually, the residents and visitors shared the east side, continuing their amicable bathing, preening and stretching. It wasn’t hard to get a photo of the classic pose of outstretched wings. First one, then another, and another opened their wings like fans, and beat the air, barely missing their neighbors. Then more preening, and more beating. Feathers drifted away on the pond.
When the gray cygnets joined in, their outstretched wings flashed patches of white feathers and white primaries. At about 5 ½ months-old, they are fully grown, capable fliers. Yet, the Swans who choose to overwinter will remain a family unit until the parents drive them off in the spring.
As if in confirmation, the resident Swan family took off together and managed to avoid the hazardous powerlines strung along the road between the divided wetlands. THAT takes skill!
As temperatures drop and ice seals off these bathing and feeding opportunities, they will need to seek open fresh and saltwater for the rest of the long winter. The cygnets still have much to learn about survival.
