Unusual warm, mild temperatures this fall allowed migrating waterfowl the opportunity to spend extra time on our lake where an abundance of feed abounds. These two adult Trumpeter Swans and their five signets spent nearly a week foraging along the shoreline attracting the attention of ducks who benefited from the leftover scraps. This photo was taken from inside my studio where I spend a lot of time watching these beautiful birds swim around our dock very close to shore. It is fun to watch an excited neighbor approach for a close-up photo with camera and big lens, every time someone tries the swans swiftly swim to the middle of the pond. We all keep each other notified of the swans arrival with a telephone “Swan Watch Alert”, just one of the joys of living near the water in Alaska.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska waterfowl artist
