Swans: dates for seeing swans and snowgeese in the Skagit/Sammamish/Padilla Bay
area are -

October - snow geese arrive
early November arrival of the larger flocks of swans, both Trumpeter and Tundra.

Peak numbers of swans, both species, occur from late December through
mid-February.

Swans begin to move out of the area by mid-March and are gone by the end. Snow
geese will leave a few weeks later.

For optimum photographic experience you need to go after hunting season for snow
geese. Fir Island can have some really great opportunities as the birds often
come into the fields near the main roads at this time.

Also, be sure to check out the Barley-for-birds fields that are scattered around
the valley - some on Fir Island and more up by Bow. You can sometimes see up to
1,500 swans and 3-4,000 snow geese in the same 20 acre field at one time. The
fields are marked with signs that say the name of the program and the farmers
name.

There is also a map for Skagit birding opportunities provided at Chamber of
Commerce or Wildlife Dept. offices. It is very good.

Happy birding.

Martha Jordan