Swan behavior shift

[smuttynose]

Found a dead trumpeter swan on the ice under some power lines the other day and after checking with the game warden and documenting it disposed of the little guy. According to him, they get on a yearly basis around 6-10 that hit lines and die. But the most insteresting thing he said is that the flocks are learning a new behavior that they've never displayed before--field feeding. The groups around the Monticello plant overwinter here, and follow the canadas to the field to feed instead of sticking to the water like they've always done. As a result, the low-flyers are moving more and so more are hitting towers and powerlines! Can't wait to see what else changes in my lifetime as a result of our activities...next thing ya know the mallards will get smart enough to hang out in the city hall fountain pond all through duck season

[Dean Schellinger]

That is very interesting. That would be quite a sight to see a bird that big hit a powerline or something else. And as far as the mallards are concerned, some already hang out in town. Besides coming back to their roost or pond within seconds following shooting time, I swear they fly around city limits just to torture me sometimes.

[Ray Esboldt]

I saw swans feeding in a field back in early December near Ottertail. I had never seen trumpeters in a field, but I have saw tundras in fields many times.

[ChuckN]

Ray, those swans seem to be a local group that I have observed for a few years now. I have seen them feeding in fields too, and they spend most of their time in the open water of the Otter Tail River near Rush Lake. Cool birds!

[Ray Esboldt]

Yep. That's them. They looked like dinosaurs standing in the field.

[Sartell Angler]

driving past Monticello the other day I saw a group of swans flying along with the geese to the fields. With all the ducks and geese staying on the river throughout the whole year now it is a wonder I haven't caused a few accidents on the roads!

[DOC33]

This last fall, I was dropping my son off at preschool and noticed a flock of Swans heading south from the river relatively low. I followed them and found the field they were landing in. I counted 70 swans on the edge of a frozen slew and cut corn field. It was an unbelievable sight. Just acrossed the road there were a couple of guys goose hunting, I am sure they had a good time wtaching that many jumbo jets doing a fly by.

[IceHawk]

There are a group of swans hanging around the sauk river near Rockville. I have been watching them for a couple weeks and they are feeding in some fields with the geese. They are sure a nice sight!

[Tippman]

I saw a flock of a half dozen swans in a field by Becker the other day. Made me do a double take as I've never seen them in fields before either.

[Nova]

This is very weird. As a hardcore duck hunter I have seen swans all my life and for the first time ever I saw some in a feild this year. Could believe it so I had to get closer to make sure. They were swans and they were alive...I thought maybe they were decoys. Later on in the year near Underwood I saw 2 different flocks in two different feilds, the at home near Stillwater I saw them in feilds. I have never seen a swan in a feild before this last fall. Glad I am not the only one.