• Thursday-What'sUP March 14 - 11:27 am

I'm not certain if Trumpeter Swans stay around the Upper Peninsula for the entire winter, but I'm thinking they perhaps only go as far south as they need to in order to find open water. If that's the case, then Tom Cook is the harbinger of spring, providing us with these photos today. The open water is surely a sign that Spring is just around the corner. This flock was spotted at Trout Lake, which Tom says is off the Rapid River Truck Trail, also known as H-05, in the Munising area. Looks to be quite a good size flock of these majestic looking birds.

Great pictures!

Inspiring photos! It always amazes me how waterfowl can tolerate the icy-cold water.

Hi
I would love to see some of these birds; there are plenty of mute swans around, but trumpeters are not as plentiful. I took a walk along a wide stretch of the Huron River yesterday and saw various types of waterfowl: hooded merganser,common merganser, canvasback, scaup, bufflehead and I think a redhead duck. There is still ice in the river and snow banks in places, but I take the birds as a sign of spring.

Very interesting to see these beautiful photos today. I was skiing on Lake MI yesterday down here in the southern U.P. and I seen flock of five of them fly over. I was not certain that they were swans but these pictures confirm that they were. Isn't nature grand!!

Open water means the Smelt will be a running soon.
I forget just when since it's been so long since I dipped for them. Maybe May?

Kathy: Where on the Huron were you? The only part I'm familiar with is the mouth of the Huron, where it dumps into Superior. Your walk sounds wonderful!

We have hundreds of Tundra Swans stay the winter here at LAKE ERIE METRO PARK where they can spend the season in ice free warmer water that flows down the Detroit River from the Trenton Edison plant. Our park is at the outlet of the Huron River that starts up in Milford area and travels down thur Ann Arbor, Flat Rock and Rockwood.

So we're talking about more than one Huron River. Just like when Mary said Trout Lake, I thought of the one at the east side of the UP.

I wonder when this picture was taken? As cold as it has been I can't imagine there being open water on any inland lake in the U.P.

Mary says: Wonder no more Dave, the pictures were taken on "Sun 09 Mar 2008 12:39:22 PM EDT". This information can be found underneath the photo in Tom's gallery, under the "Date/Time" category. You can access this information from most of the Guest Gallery album photos. As long as the photographer has the date set correctly on their camera, it pinpoints the date and time of each photo. :->

Hi
Marsha, I was at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor. There is a dam that makes the river wide enough to be appealing to the open-water, diving, ducks that I spotted.

What I wouldnt give to be able to see these elegant creatures. Thanks for sharing your pics.

I was out for awhile and saw hundreds of geese flying north. They should be UP there soon.

Oh my gosh, absolutely beautiful!

Spring is creeping back to Kansas, yesterday it was 75 degrees! Today only 56, but still enjoyable.

When you see Geese flying they most often are in V-formation. Like me, have you ever wondered why at times one side of the V is longer? I finally figured out why that is,from a Ole Timer.They know everything. If you don't know, I could go into a little detail. I think with Swans it would be the same.

Beautiful! My class was excited to see these photos today. In December, we visited Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri and were treated to the sight of a flock of trumpeters. I have taken my class to Squaw Creek for more than 25 years and had never seen trumpeters there before. They were still there in January, as well, according to the "waterfowl survey" on Squaw Creek's website. I believe they are quite rare in this area. What a delight! If you want to read a delightful story about trumpeter swans, E.B. White wrote "The Trumpet of the Swan", which I read to my class each year - another reason my class was delighted at seeing the photos.
Thanks again for the wonderful pictures!

Helen G--"The Trumpet of the Swan" is one of my favorites too.
It's a real vocabulary booster--not just for elementary students,
but anyone. I have had students wander around trying to fit the
word "crepuscular" into their conversations.