Hi Everyone,
I am also skeptical that this is a Trumpeter Swan. One of the easiest marks
to separate the species is the shape of the white forehead where it meets
the bill--in Trumpeter it is V-shaped; in Tundra it is U-shaped. This mark
cannot be seen clearly on the photos provided; however, one can see the
relative isolation (or separation) of the eye from the bill. Comparison
with profile flight shots of Trumpeter Swans shows that this bird's eye is
relatively isolated and that the black face patch is not as wide as would
be expected in Trumpeter. So I would call this a Tundra Swan--one of the
10% of the North American population that does not have yellow at the base
of the bill.
Hugh
On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM, Benjamin DeHaven <
<benjamindehaven...> wrote:
> After going for the Northern Lapwing yesterday and failing to find it I
> headed on down to Blackwater NWR. While there I found 2 Swans which I
> assumed to be Tundra, I took a few shots and then they took off and flew
> towards me (kind of) then disappeared. When I got home and looked at my
> pictures I noticed one of them had an orange grin patch making it a
> Trumpeter Swan. The 1 Tundra and the 1 Trumpeter Swan were hanging out
> along the Wildlife Drive beside 2 American White Pelicans. I posted
> pictorial proof in the eBird checklist, but I will link directly to the
> imgur.com files here.
>
> 2/4/2013 - Blackwater NWR - Wildlife Drive - ~3:45pm
>
> http://i.imgur.com/DdFW5nd.jpg
> http://i.imgur.com/5ZAp0M6.jpg
> http://i.imgur.com/mrHxqJY.jpg
>
> I had no idea I had a Trumpeter until nearly 11pm last night and I was
> nodding off at the computer as it was.
>
> Benjamin DeHaven
> Timonium, Maryland
>
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Hugh McGuinness
Washington, D.C.
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