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Post by tonyw on Mar 9, 2020 21:54:45 GMT
One of the best indicators that spring is here is when the Tundra Swans pass through on the way from their wintering grounds on Chesapeake Bay to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic - a 3000 km trip. They have some favourite stop-over spots on the way and there are a couple near us that are good spots to get some photos. Here's one I took today - I was amused to see the flotilla of Canadian Geese happily sailing through the bevy of Tundra Swans. The official count yesterday at this location was 1850 swans - I haven't a clue how they manage to come up with a number like that!  Tony |
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Post by cats4jan on Mar 10, 2020 1:08:15 GMT
What a wonderful sight and what a great photo. We have white pelicans on our lake and the ducks like to swim with them. It often looks like a convention. I wonder what they are discussing??
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Post by whippet on Mar 10, 2020 20:36:18 GMT
I often wonder myself, how on earth they come up with these official counts. It is like the annual garden bird survey in this country. Who is to know if a bird I counted in my garden, then flew next door - and got counted again.  What a sight that must have been, Tony. Fantastic picture, with my two favourite birds. |
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Post by pontiac1940 on Mar 11, 2020 3:04:23 GMT
Cool photo Tony.
"The official count yesterday at this location was 1850 swans - I haven't a clue how they manage to come up with a number like that!" With a relatively small number like that it would be quite easy to make a close estimate (say, +/- 10% or so). If a viewer has a good view of the birds a few photos will help. Then sample sections can be counted accurately on a computer and the numbers extrapolated. Get somewhat close estimates. Somewhat.
(The snow geese will return in our area in 2 or 3 weeks .. or so. Hard to say because, although it's been warm here, we are in for a wicked cold and snowy storm this week.)
Great birds Tony!
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