Hi Tweets,
Thought it might be of interest to you to know what's going on on Orcas
Island. There are always small numbers of Trumpeter Swans that come into
the islands to winter, with numbers varying each year. Last year we only
had a couple sightings here on Orcas, but starting in early November of this
year we have had an influx of swans starting with the first sighting of 5 at
Fowler's Pond. That group moved to Cascade Lake (I'm guessing) in Moran
State Park, and joined a family group of 3 which had taken up residence
there although there were some days when they would disappear for short
periods. The numbers have been increasing gradually there (the lake is low
so they have been able to reach their food supply), until the cold weather
set in. The numbers started growing as (and I am assuming) the other small
lakes on the island started to freeze over. I was down there today and
counted 30 Trumpeter Swans on the lake - a very large number for Orcas. The
lake also has huge rafts of ducks - Ring-necked, Wigeon, Scaup, Hooded
Mergansers and approximately 100 Common Mergansers. I am now snuggled in
next to a fire watching it snow.
Gayle Benton
Orcas Island
gbenton at rockisland.com