Sunday, December 4, 2011

Tundra Swans (almost) High Count, Marin Co., CA

Tundra Swans tend to be scarce in Marin County, California.  Although the previous high count according to ebird was 200 birds seen in fall of 2004, nearly all previous records of this species consist of one or two individuals.  On Wednesday, December 1, Cory and I, along with Jeff Miller of Marin Co., had a flock of twenty birds flying northwest over the Bull Point trail head in outer Point Reyes.
All twenty Tundra Swans can be seen, here, flying NW presumably towards Abbott's Lagoon along the outer Point Reyes Peninsula. 
Previous records outnumber ours, but only seven previous ebird records in the past fifteen years.
From 1997 - 2001 only one record in 1998 of one individual.

From 2002-2006 only four records, all in 2004, within the county.  There are three records of one individual, and one of 200.

Only two records each of one individual in the past five years before our count of twenty on Wednesday.
Figures can be found on www.ebird.org under explore data, line graphs.

Photos by Lukas Musher

3 comments:

  1. really enjoying your blog I think your pictures are fantastic really great job

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  2. Just found out that 80 Tundra Swans were seen for a short period of time on Bolinas Lagoon in Bolinas, Marin County, CA on Wednesday November 30. Same day as our birds.

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  3. I just wanted to report that four wild swans were seen on Sunday, April 2 in Pond No. 1 at the Las Gallinas wild bird ponds in San Rafael. A beautiful sight!

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