Just got back from a great weekend at the Tundra Swan Festival in Cusick,
WA (north of Newport in Pend Oreille County). Lake Calispell was full of
TUNDRA SWANS, likely 6,000-8,000, and lots of red-headed ducks, pintails
and more. We also found 100+ TRUMPETER SWANS mixed in with the Tundras.
This is the highest count anyone has seen. 3 juvenile Bald Eagles, and lots
of Canada Geese. We also witnessed the longest goose fight between two
ganders. They locked on to each other and fought for more than 3 minutes.
The geese and 3 swans reacted by what seemed to be a crowd vocalizing at
them. An interesting sight. Later in the day we got a report that a large
group of Tundra Swans came through, many swans on the lake joined them. At
the outflow of the lake they swirled up then headed north. Night migration
is common in swans.
On Sunday on the way home we stopped at Columbia NWR. There, just off
the refuge at Morgan Lake, we found 5 Trumpeter Swans. They were sleeping
and loafing.
Lots of elk and lots more white-tail deer were seen in the
Usk/Cusick/Newport area.

Martha Jordan
Everett, WA