Dave Czaplak contacted me this morning about 10:30 that he had found 3
or 4 Trumpeter Swans mixed in with some Tundra Swans on the Potomac
about a mile below Violette's Lock at mile post 21.
I was able to get down there about 12:30 pm. I found 9 swans. There were
2 groups of 4 birds separated by 60/70 yards and another lone juvenile
about 150 yds further upstream.
The Trumpeter candidates were all adults and I could not find any yellow
on their bills. All four had a rusty /yellowish color on head as
pictured on page 60 of the small Sibley Guide.
The other group of 4 contained two adult swans and two juveniles. I
could clearly see a yellow spot on the lores of the two adults and no
rusty color on heads. Two of the 4 birds were grayish juveniles with all
black bills. These 4 birds appeared to be smaller than the possible
Trumpeters.
I could not really get a good look (because of some rocks) at the lone
bird further upstream but it looked like a juvenile.
Hopefully, Dave will be posting soon on what he saw. I do not have a lot
of experience separating these two species and know what thorough
documentation was presented on MDOsprey for the two Edgewood birds.
Andy Martin
Gaithersburg
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