Subject: [Tweeters] Swan behavior- new and odd
Date: Dec 13 09:43:30 2016
From: Martha Jordan - mj.cygnus at gmail.com


Sunday while out doing surveys we came across a flock of swans at Craven
Farm south of Snohomish. They were in a harvested corn field. Suddenly we
heard a loud sound of wings beating, and noted an adult swan power flapping
in place. Not the stretch and flap mode, serious thrust generating wing
beats we could hear about 400 feet away. The swan then launched inself
directly up,sound increased and then the bird was airborne. The swan then
shifted position and began flying forward, already about 4 feet off the
ground. It flew out over the field and onto another area of the valley.
This is the first time I have observed a swan not running to take off.
Have any of you seen or photographed this behavior?

--
Martha Jordan
Executive Director
Northwest Swan Conservation Association
425-787-0258
206-713-3684 cell
www.nwswans.org
martha at nwswans.org
914 164th St SE, PMB 272
Mill Creek, WA 98012
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