Both tundra swans and trumpeter swans can be seen in most years on lakes and ponds in the Williams Lake area during their migrations northward. Trumpeter swans are usually seen first, often while there is still ice on the lakes and ponds but some open water is present. They are seldom seen in the spring later than April. Tundra swans are most often first seen a little later, after the ice has left the lakes, and are typically more common when they are present. The two species can be difficult to distinguish. Trumpeter swans are larger than tundra swans, have a longer, straighter bill, and lack the yellow spot which is prominent on most Tundra swans at the base of the bill just ahead of the eye. The swans in the photo are trumpeter swans, which are becoming increasingly common in recent years.
Are the swans we see at Scout Island mostly tundra swans or trumpeter swans?
