Podcasts about trumpeter swans

Send us a textIt feels good to be back. This is my first field recording in nearly two years, captured just after sunset along the banks of Otter Creek in Sleeping Bear Dunes. I used my Zoom F3 recorder paired with the Audio-Technica BP4025 microphone, placed as a drop rig for an overnight session.As the light faded, I returned to one of my favorite spots—a quiet place where beavers often swim and birds gather in abundance. I watched two Trumpeter Swans descend and glide in beside a gathering of geese and ducks settling in for the night. Turkeys called from nearby trees, and the evening wrapped itself in the distant sound of Barred Owls echoing through the forest. It was peaceful, wild, and exactly what I'd been missing.Recording Details:Date and Time: 4/17/2025 | 5:30 AMLocation: Sleeping Bear Dunes National LakeshoreLandscape/Feature: Otter CreekConditions: 61F (16C), Overnight, Light Breeze that changed to GustingRecording Device: Zoom F3 Field RecorderMicrophone(s): Audio Technica BP4025Support the showThanks for listening! ❤️ Your support means the world to me. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for daily updates.

Alberta's triumphant Trumpeter Swans have come to represent through the past century a story that blends conservation, admiration and beauty to all of us who find promise and purpose in the Birds of Alberta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A coveted silence drenches the deep valley. Winter at it's finest. With closed eyes, I discern the distant white noise of a creek flowing beneath the snow. Alongside one of the small lakes, a coyote crosses the ice on the opposite shore, noticing my presence as well. As early dusk descends, a small flock of Canadian geese flies overhead, their honking resonating against the steep valley walls—a common sight during this season. The geese are nearing a lake that has a unique nearly musical echo emanating from it. The chatter of trumpeter swans who have made this pond home for the winter. Evening light fades and the swans move to various nearby water sources that have not frozen, greeting each other with loud echoing calls. Moments of silence are equally piercing in this winter valley. Recorded by Nick McMahan in the Washington River

Mute Swans are considered invasive, but after generations in Ontario, they have become naturalized. Learn the basics and beauty of Ontario's Mute Swan population, how its being controlled and why its important for them to live their natural lives in wetlands and parks. With contributers: Kelly Duffin, founder of the Mute Swan Society; Dana Stratton, volunteer with the Mute Swan Society. Quin Malott, Parks, Forestry and Cemetery Manager, City of Stratford; and photographer Will Bailey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chadcrouch.substack.comThe conclusion to the five-part Lower Columbia River soundwalk series brings us back to the Washington shoreline, three miles upriver from where we last visited, at a place called Frenchman's Bar. Though it takes an hour by car to drive from Willow Bar to Frenchman's Bar, they are literally just around the corner from each other on the water. And of course, this is how the birds experience it. Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, Canada Geese and others often overnight on Sauvie's Island and forage by day across the river in The Vancouver Lowlands. There are plenty of opportunities to capture fly-bys and fly-overs in field recordings here, but there is also plenty of competition in the soundscape from industrial sources. In addition to the planes, trains, and autos, you'll often hear hulking cargo ships chugging by. If you listen closely you'll hear a crew pounding on the hull of one such ship in the distance, close to the end of our soundwalk. I left it in, half because it was an interesting sound, and half because there's only so much noise one can get rid of without messing it up. Incidentally, I also left in the subtle sound of me setting up a stationary recording rig. I'll share that field recording next week on Soundscape, the companion podcast to Soundwalk, all linked up with this Substack newsletter. I visualize it like an H2O atom! And maybe now is a good time to catch you up, since I don't send emails as often as I'm posting. Recently I shared A Brief History of Soundwalks, taking a look at a couple examples of soundwalks, new and old, and arriving at a tentative answer to the question what is a soundwalk? (In the words of Christopher Robin, "It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear and not bothering.”) Also, I shared a soundwalk through the Black Artists of Oregon Exhibit at Portland Art Museum and field recordings of the charming American Dipper at Wildwood and some Trumpeter Swans and allies at Ridgefield NWR. Subscribers enjoy 5 min excerpts while premium subscribers get the complete recordings (10-90 min). Available in your podcast app and here.For the Frenchman's Bar Soundwalk score I used a lot of the same voices that we've been hearing in this batch. In particular, I try to follow the swells of sound from the abundant geese and cranes with synth pads and vibrating drones. This time I swap out the electric pianos for the intimacy and warmth of an acoustic piano and celeste. It's both quiet and loud; a dynamic outing!Frenchman's Bar was named by Donald and David Scherruble who grew up in the area, heirs to the 120 acre farm that would become Frenchman's Bar Park in the late 1990's. The Scherrubles listened to their colorful "Old Frenchman" neighbor speak of his adventures when they were kids on the farm. Don Hamilton penned this story with an ear for the brothers' lively storytelling for The Oregonian September 9, 1985:Frenchman's Bar really has a French connection. That connection is the late Paul Haury, a Frenchman who once deserted a doomed ship,Well before the turn of the century Haury, then 15, was an apprentice river pilot in France hoping to make his living on the sea. He signed on as a cabin boy on a wooden saling ship bound for Vancouver, British Columbia, via Cape Horn. It was to pick up a load of lumber and take it to the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. But the cabin boy who hoped to make his life sailng was treated poorly."He jumped ship, he did," David Scherruble said. "He used to come to the house and tell my mom and dad about how there was this big old hollow cedar tree and he hid in it while the searchers (from the ship) looked for him. They walked right past him, they did, and didn't even see him. That's the story he told."After about three days the searchers gave up the hunt for their cabin boy and set off for Hawaii. In mid-Pacific the ship hit a fierce storm and went down with all hands.For five years Haury's parents in France believed he was dead. By the time he wrote to tell them he hadn't perished, he had made his way north from Vancouver and was working as a commercial fisherman in Alaska.In 1915 Haury bought five or six acres along the Columbia and moved to the Vancouver area…Interestingly, Haury, who died in 1937 while in his 70s, never saw the stretch of beach named for him. The bar was created by dredge spoils when the Columbia River channel was deepened by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1940s.It might also be worth mentioning that Frenchman's Bar is about a mile upriver from Tena Bar, which in 1980 provided a break in the infamous D.B. Cooper skyjacking mystery. A kid found $5800 in bundles of decomposing cash in the sand. Serial numbers on the bills matched those in the $200,000 ransom. (Funny how that seems like not so much today.) How did these bundles end up buried in the sand at Tena Bar? The FBI put a lot of energy into trying to answer that question but apparently few definitive conclusions could be drawn. There is absolutely no shortage of conjecture online. In 2020, a scientist ruled out quite a few timeline scenarios by testing the bills for diatoms. “Because the bills only had one season of diatoms on them, and did not have diatoms that bloom in the winter, Kaye theorizes that the money came out of the water and landed on the bank of Tena Bar after only a few weeks or months.”Today the Tena Bar area, bound by a sand and gravel company, has No Trespassing signs posted every 10 meters. Well, I guess that's about it for this one. Thanks for being here with me.

Trumpeter Swans weigh over 25 pounds and measure about five feet from beak to tail. They were nearly hunted to extinction by the turn of the twentieth century. In Arkansas, a small flock of Trumpeter Swans began spending the winter at Magness Lake in the 1990s. It has now grown to one of the biggest winter swan flocks in the Southeast. In recognition of its value to the swans, Magness Lake has been designated an Important Bird Area.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Trumpeter Swans land in a plowed field to forage for remnant potatoes, grain, and other waste crops. This swan is among the largest of all waterfowl; the Tundra Swan is somewhat smaller. These swans migrate in family groups each fall from nesting sites in Canada and Alaska. Learn more about these swans, and view a map to the Skagit Flats of Washington where you can see them. When you go, please be courteous, and if you stop, pull completely off the roadway. Always respect private property. More info at Northwest Swan Conservation Association and The Trumpeter Swan Society!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

Click to listen to episode (5:16).Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 10-27-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of October 30 and November 6, 2023, and particularly for Halloween. MUSIC – ~18 sec – Lyrics: “Summer's over, winter's coming; summer's over, winter's coming.” That's part of “Winter is Coming,” by The Steel Wheels.  It sets the stage for an episode on the origins of Halloween in the ancient festival of Samhain, first observed centuries ago by Celtic peoples.  Celtic lands include Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and areas of England and France.  Samhain marked the end of the Celtic year on October 31, when summer had faded, winter was approaching, and—in Celtic belief—the dividing line between earth and the spirit world was thin, allowing spirits of the dead to roam.  As described by Miranda Aldhouse-Green in her 2015 book The Celtic Myths, quote, “It was at the festival of Samhain, at the edge of winter, that the world of humans was most at risk from the inhabitants of the world beyond: the boundaries were suspended and the spirits could prowl among the living, to their good or detriment depending on the character of the individual phantom,” unquote. Along with Halloween's date, many of its traditions can be traced back to Samhain practices, such as donning costumes or disguises, believed by the Celts to help them avoid being recognized by wandering spirits. When they weren't wandering the earth at Samhain, Celtic spirits and Celtic gods were believed to reside in what was known as the Otherworld.  In Celtic beliefs, watery areas were considered access points to the Otherworld.  Celtic mythology also gave special significance to swans, whose beautiful appearance on the water might have suggested connections to Celtic gods.  Here's a short version of an Irish legend about Samhain and swans; the opening and closing sounds are Tundra Swans, a North American species whose Berwick's Swan subspecies is found in Ireland and Wales. SOUNDS  - 4 sec – Tundra Swans. Oenghus was the Celtic god of love.  In the myth called “The Dream of Oenghus,” the god dreamed he saw a woman named Caer, the Celtic goddess of sleep and dreams, and he became smitten with her.  He searched far and wide for her, eventually finding her among a group of other women at a lake, and learning that every other year at Samhain the women turned into swans.  At the next Samhain, Oenghus returned to the lake and, by turning himself into a swan, was able to win Caer's heart.  The story ends with the pair of swans circling the lake three times, casting a sleep enchantment on everyone below, and flying off together.       SOUNDS  - 4 sec – Tundra Swans. I hope your Halloween has rich traditions and a bit of mystery, perhaps about waters or water creatures from worlds unknown. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the swan sounds.  Thanks also to The Steel Wheels for permission to use part of “Winter is Coming.”  We close with another musical selection, which has become a Halloween-episode tradition on this show.  Here, for about 50 seconds, is “A Little Fright Music,” composed and recorded or Virginia Water Radio by Torrin Hallett. MUSIC – ~50 sec – Instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The sounds of Tundra Swans were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/; the specific URL for the recording was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/audio/id/86/rec/1, as of 10-27-23. “Winter is Coming,” from the 2015 album “We've Got a Fire,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels, based in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, is available online at https://www.thesteelwheels.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 643, 12-5-22. “A Little Fright Music” is copyright 2020 by Torrin Hallett, used with permission.  As of 2022-2023, Torrin is the associate principal horn of the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of Mexico.  He is a 2018 graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio, a 2020 graduate in Horn Performance from Manhattan School of Music in New York, and a 2021 graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.  More information about Torrin is available online at https://www.facebook.com/torrin.hallett.  Thanks very much to Torrin for composing the piece especially for Virginia Water Radio.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 640, 10-31-22. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Image of part of an October 27, 1912, article in The Evening Star [Washington, D.C.] on the origins of Halloween.  Image taken from the Library of Congress Blogs, “The Origins of Halloween Traditions,” by Heather Thomas, October 26, 2021, online at https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/, accessed October 24, 2023.Tundra Swan in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, June 30, 2018.  Photo by Lisa Hupp, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/30970/rec/2, as of 10/24/23.

Students and listeners from across the state send in their nature reports. Depending on the season, reports may cover wildflowers, wildlife, weather and other wonders.

Recent changes to Utah swan hunting due to overkill of Trumpeter Swans

Utah is just one of nine states that allow swan hunting, and until this year, that included trumpeter swans, considered North America's largest bird. The trumpeter swans are still struggling to reestablish migratory populations nearly a century after hunters blasted them to near extinction. But now Utah wildlife officials have proposed banning the taking of trumpeter swans. Tundra swans would remain legal to shoot during Utah's 73-day fall swan-hunting season.

Trumpeter swans may be recognizable by their loud, old-car-horn honking calls, but Oregon's largest waterfowl species is still considered cryptic, because they tend to hang out around another large, white swan called Tundra swans. This makes counting Oregon's Trumpeter swans challenging. To add to the challenges, you have Trumpeter swans that use the Pacific Flyway part of Western Oregon and a unique Rocky Mountain population of Trumpeter swans that sometimes use areas like Summer Lake and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge as wintering areas and breeding areas. This week's podcast takes you on an adventure to count swans at Summer Lake Wildlife Area, where managers have been working to establish a breeding population. We spend the day with ODFW's Statewide Waterfowl Coordinator Brandon Reishus learning about efforts to count and preserve these amazing birds. Show Notes: Lear more about Oregon's Trumpeter swans here - https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/trumpeter-swan#:~:text=Historically%20hunted%20to%20the%20brink,wingspan%20define%20this%20magnificent%20bird. Questions or suggestions for topics, please email us at: Beaver_State_Podcast@odfw.oregon.gov Subscribe to the Beaver State Podcast through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or Spotify.

Historically, Trumpeter Swans covered much of North America, but by 1932, a National Park Service survey found only 69 trumpeters in the entire contiguous United States. This spurred a conservation effort that included a feeding program in the Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge near Dillon, Montana.

Jeff Laszlo is a fourth-generation owner of the Granger Ranches, a 13,000-acre cattle ranch in Montana's Madison Valley. Over the past 20 years or so, he and a team of public agencies and professionals have been restoring a large wetland on the property, which was drained generations ago for grazing use. What has become known as the O'Dell Creek restoration project has restored some 15 miles of spring-fed streams and 1,000 acres of wetlands. The results include a 900 percent increase in waterfowl numbers, a 600 percent increase in waterfowl species diversity, an improved fishery with reduced water temperatures, the return of rare native vegetation, the reintroduction of imperiled species such as Trumpeter Swans and Arctic grayling, and a vast increase in use for migrating sandhill cranes. With the rising water table, the bottomland became more productive and better able to support the ranch's cow-calf operation and hay production. The Granger Ranches has actually grown its livestock operations, demonstrating that ecological balance, sustainable ranching, and economic viability can coexist. This work has garnered numerous awards, including the 2010 National Wetlands Award for Private Land Stewardship, and has been the subject of films and numerous articles. Jeff and I talked about the history of the family ranch, draining of the valley floor, and all about the restoration project, from impetus through implementation. Jeff articulated the complexity of such an endeavor, and how this sort of local effort has far reaching positive benefits.Links: Western Landowners Alliance - Stewardship with Vision Ep. 1Trout Unlimited - A Public Lands StoryMontana Audubon - O'Dell Creek Restoration

Need a little Post-Hardcore in your life? We did, so we turned to Dance Gavin Dance's 2016 release Mothership! Powered in equal parts by captivating instrumentals, smooth-yet-bouncy melodies, and corrosive, nonsensical John Mess screams, this is unlike any record we've covered to date. Learn the truth behind Trumpeter Swans, Feathercore metal music, and prep for the release of their upcoming Jackpot Juicer with James and Connor! We're also digging into certified poetry in brand new ways, with classic lyrics like "I can't wait to tap into the brain of my cat," and "Rooster's beak, I'll sleep when I leap that jeep." DGD might not be right for everyone but they might be just right for you, and there's only one way to find out-- diving in headfirst on this week's episode of Spin It!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks For Listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every winter, the Trumpeter Swans return to their "territory" at LaSalle Park in Burlington, Ontario. Listener survey: https://songbirding.com/survey Credits Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. Songbirding Cover Art (Blackburnian Warbler) by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music by Kevin McLeod Find out more at http://5khz.songbirding.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-da20d0 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Songbirding Under 5kHz.

Charity Nebbe and her guests talk about some of Iowa's greatest environmental success stories and the vision and work that made them possible.

Trumpeter Swans weigh over 25 pounds and measure about five feet from beak to tail. They were nearly hunted to extinction by the turn of the twentieth century. In Arkansas, a small flock of Trumpeter Swans began spending the winter at Magness Lake in the 1990s. It has now grown to one of the biggest winter swan flocks in the Southeast. In recognition of its value to the swans, Magness Lake has been designated an Important Bird Area. Learn more at BirdNote.org.

Hello to you listening in Inverness, Scotland!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is 60 Seconds for Motivate Your Monday with your host Diane Wyzga.A relatively short drive off Island brings me to the  farmlands and wetlands, estuaries and marine waters, prairies and forests of the Skagit Valley, the wintertime habitat for hundreds of bird species.Imagine great ballets of snow geese, the graceful landing of trumpeter swans, a myriad of paddling ducks and more flung out across the harvested fields in great flocks pecking at the ground or ducking their beaks into the bogs left by the rains that scooped out hollows in the rich soil.The trumpeter swans have come from populations that nest in Alaska. The snow geese have traveled from Wrangel Island, Siberia. 2,417 miles - as the goose flies. Imagine that!Look closely at the Life path you've been walking, how far you've come, the great distances you've traveled to get to where you belong. Question: Where will you fly next?  60 Seconds is your daily dose of hope, imagination, wisdom, stories, practical tips, and general riffing on this and that. This is the place to thrive together. Come for the stories - stay for the magic. Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, follow, share a nice shout out on your social media or podcast channel of choice, including Android, and join us next time! You're invited to stop by the website and subscribe to stay current with Diane, her journeys, her guests, as well as creativity, imagination, walking, stories, camaraderie, and so much more: Quarter Moon Story ArtsStories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 - Present: for credit & attribution Quarter Moon Story Arts

On this episode join Dr. Leif Tapanila and Peter Pruett as they talk about restoration of Trumpeter Swans with Tiffany Mayo from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Tiffany Mayo is the species survival plan coordinator for trumpeter swans at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio.

Every winter, the Trumpeter Swans return to their "territory" at LaSalle Park in Burlington, Ontario. Listener survey: https://songbirding.com/survey Credits Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. Songbirding Cover Art (Blackburnian Warbler) by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music by Kevin McLeod This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-da20d0 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Songbirding.

Trumpeter Swans land in a plowed field to forage for remnant potatoes, grain, and other waste crops. This swan is among the largest of all waterfowl; the Tundra Swan is somewhat smaller. These swans migrate in family groups each fall from nesting sites in Canada and Alaska. Learn more about these swans, and view a map to the Skagit Flats of Washington where you can see them. When you go, please be courteous, and if you stop, pull completely off the roadway. Always respect private property. More info at Northwest Swan Conservation Association and The Trumpeter Swan Society! Learn more at BirdNote.org.

Travel anywhere in MN Lakes Country and you'll likely see, or hear, Trumpeter Swans. It wasn't always the case. Kelly and Carol visit a popular hangout for people and the Trumpeters near Detroit Lakes and talk about how the Trumpeter swan made a triumphant comeback in Minnesota not that long ago. Kelly shares the story of how the Minnesota swan population had dwindled to zero by the early 1900's and how wildlife conservation groups and individuals worked successfully to reintroduce the Trumpeter swans to Minnesota in 1991 near Detroit Lakes. Today the swan population is estimated at 30,000 in Minnesota.

This bonus episode is composed of three recordings of Red-Winged Blackbirds I gathered at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge near the California-Oregon border in Siskiyou County, California. This wildlife refuge is not remotely located and is popular with birders, and as such there is quite a bit of noise pollution. So instead of giving you one long recording full of passing jets, airplanes, cars, trucks, trains, and people ooh-ing and aah-ing at the abundant birds, I put this together from mostly noise pollution free segments of recordings I gathered that day. The first part is a large flock sitting in cattails lining the edge of a canal and is eight minutes long. The second part is a large flock roosting in, and moving between, willow trees and is nine minutes long. The third part is a small and dispersed gathering sitting in cattails and singing mostly individually. The segments have been faded together slightly to give you a continuous listening experience. Listen for passing Trumpeter Swans at 16m45s. I really hope you enjoy this bonus episode. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/soundbynature/support

Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is 60 Seconds, your daily dose of hope, imagination, wisdom, stories, practical tips, and general riffing on this and that.I drove off island the other day for some errands that took me north to Bellingham. As I neared the farm fields where I had seen them last December I slowed my car in the hopes they would be there again. And they were: flung out across the harvested fields in great flocks pecking at the ground or ducking their beaks into the bogs left by the rains that scooped out hollows in the rich soil.Trumpeter swans and snow geese as far as the eye could see. The trumpeter swans wintering here come from populations that nest in Alaska. The snow geese have traveled from Wrangel Island, Siberia; 2,417 miles - as the goose flies. Imagine that!Question: What great distances have you traveled to get to where you belong?  This is the place to thrive together. Come for the stories - stay for the magic.  Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a nice shout out on your social media or podcast channel of choice, and join us next time! You’re invited to stop by the website and subscribe to stay current with Diane, her journeys, her guests, as well as creativity, imagination, walking, stories, camaraderie, and so much more: Quarter Moon Story ArtsProduction Team: Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 - Present: for credit & attribution Quarter Moon Story Arts

John Moriarty, Senior Wildlife Manager at Three Rivers, helps Angela and Brandon visit the important timeline of events that starts with the disappearance of Trumpeter Swans from Minnesota but ends in reintroduction success.  Learn more on this historic rehabilitation and how Three Rivers started it all. 

Zoos and aquariums are not just concerned with preserving species and habitat in far away locations. Many are conserving threatened and endangered native species including amphibians, reptiles, insects, plants, small mammals, and birds in their own back yard through cooperative breeding and reintroduction programs. Dr. Samantha Russak shares the story of how Southwick's Zoo is working with officials to help return once endangered trumpeter swans to their original home range.     Plus, That Sounds Wild: cheetah purr.  www.columbuszoo.org Southwick's zoo www.facebook.com/ZooLogicpodcast/ Animal Care Software http://peppermintnarwhal.com www.iReinforce.com    

George M. Benson served as the Refuge game warden, and later agent, beginning in 1918. Preferring the title of “refuge protector,” Benson not only enforced hunting and trapping laws at Malheur, but he also banded many waterfowl, often with the help of local children. With is wife Ethel, Benson eventually moved into the old ranch house that once stood in the large cottonwood grove at the end of this road. The small stone building that remains in the shade of these cottonwoods was first a well house 1930s and 1940s, when the Civilian Conservation Corps was planting willows and excavating what would eventually become Benson Pond. The building then served as a hunter check station in the 1950s and 1960s. Look for resident Great Horned Owl as you walk beneath the giant willows along the dike. In spring and summer, the trees around the first bridge can be a fun place to study up to six swallow species as they alternately perch and feed nearby. In summer, search the exposed branches for roosting Common Nighthawks, which perch parallel to the branches. The pond itself is a good place to see swans. During spring and fall migrations, Tundra Swans use the Refuge as a refueling stop, and resident Trumpeter Swans typically nest here, protected in the tall marsh vegetation, such as cattails and tules. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/malheurfriends/support

As the snow melts in Bayfield County, and our rivers and streams are at their highest, spring is the best time to make a trip out of visiting the waterfalls in northern Wisconsin. Director of Bayfield County Tourism Mary Motiff describes the tallest and most picturesque waterfalls and introduces the new brochure that includes maps and descriptions of the waterfalls in this episode or Bayfield County Wild. Plus, Co-host Nancy Christopher talks with Ryan Brady, a conservation biologist, about birding and why it’s so popular in Bayfield County.   Flowing Falls There are more than 20 waterfalls in northern Wisconsin within Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas and Iron Counties. Iron County has the most, followed by Bayfield County with five waterfalls. The tallest is Big Manitou Falls in Douglas County. Mary says it would take a good week to explore and hike all 20 of them, but you can make multiple trips and see one or two at a time. A new brochure is now available that features all of the waterfalls with photos, descriptions and an overview map to make the most of your journey. You can order the brochure online at www.travelbayfieldcounty.com   The Best Birding is in Bayfield County A conservation biologist and bird monitoring coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ryan Brady says his life is for the birds…literally. Ryan talks about the world’s #1 sport, birding, and its significance in Bayfield County. According to Ryan, this is one of the best regions in the U.S. to spot birds because of the wide variety of habitats. Bayfield County has water, wetlands, shorelines, grasslands, forests and even Pine Barrens, which are globally unique. Plus, a lot of this is public land where people can come and enjoy the birds along with all the trails and other wildlife you might see. Spring is Ryan’s favorite time for birding because the birds are singing and in their most colorful plumage. This time of year, we see lots of migrating birds and waterfowl such as sandhill cranes, swans and blue heron, followed by insect-eating birds like the Orioles. Bayfield has seen an increase in several bird species, including Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Trumpeter Swans, Turkeys and Canadian Geese. Among the declining species are the Eastern Whippoorwill, the common Night Hawk, Evening Grosbeaks and Meadowlarks, Bobolinks and grassland birds. The decline in these species is mostly because of changes in habitat.  Bayfield County has seen some rare species like the Whooping Crane, Piping Plovers, Scissortail Flycatchers and Lewis’ Woodpeckers. The rarest, however, were the Wilson’s Plover, Tropical Kingbird and Ross Gull, which has only been seen once in 2001 and comes all the way from the Arctic and Bering Sea. Ryan says there are things we can do to draw more birds to our backyards.  Birds are looking for water, food and shelter, so he recommends having water bird fountains and shallow ponds. Planting trees, shrubs and other plants will help to attract insects and arthropods as food sources. Brush piles are also great for providing natural shelters for birds. If you would like to get involved in helping birds, Ryan also recommends a number of clubs and associations that encourage membership like the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative and Wisconsin Audobahn Chapters. You can also become a volunteer by getting involved in one of Wisconsin’s many citizen science projects. Lastly, if you are already birding, you can share your bird counting on Ebird.org or get involved in the 2019 Great Wisconsin Birdathon by either collecting pledges or simply donating to the cause.   Birding & Nature Festival For 13 years, the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center has been hosting the Chequamegon Bay Birding & Nature Festival. This year’s event is being held May 16-18. The festival offers 3 days of birding and nature activities on the southern shore of Lake Superior at the peak of spring migration. There will be more that 100 field trips and programs about nature, including birds, butterflies, wildflowers, snails, spiders, elk, frogs, fish and mushrooms.   April Activities April 6:           Syrup Saturday at the Iron River National Fish Hatchery April 6:            Cellar Jazz Concert at the White Winter Winery in Iron River, WI      April 26 – 27: Washburn Brokedown Blues Fest View the full schedule of events on our website and Facebook page.   May Preview Our guest is Naturalist Emily Stone. As the naturalist/education director at the Cable Natural History Museum in Cable, Wisconsin, Emily writes a weekly “Natural Connections” column published in more than a dozen local and regional newspapers. She has also earned multiple Excellence in Craft awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America.    Affiliate Notes Bear Paw Restaurant Enjoy delicious food in a cozy, cabin-like atmosphere. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Bear Paw’s specials include chicken wings, seafood and BBQ ribs. Don’t leave without trying a trademark, delicious caramel roll or their unique, homemade potato chips.   Bayfield County Rustic Yurts Enjoy all that nature has to offer while staying in a cozy yurt near Bayfield and Cable. Explore thousands of acres of forests, as well as miles of maintained, non-motorized recreational trails. Peace and quiet are yours here, with the wonders of the North Woods surrounding you.   Quality Inn Ashland Located in Bayfield County on the shore of Lake Superior near the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, the Apostle Islands and Big Top Chautauqua, the Quality Inn gives you plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities and adventures.   Bay Front Inn  Family-owned and operated, Bay Front Inn is in beautiful Bayfield, WI between the Bayfield City Dock and Madeline Island Ferry Line. So close to the water, it’s the perfect lodging choice for anyone planning on enjoying activities on Lake Superior or for those who just want to relax and hear the gentle sound of rolling waves.

Wildlife conservation is often a sad story. We hear that some species has been pushed to the edge of extinction because of us, and our lack of foresight or empathy. Until recently, Trumpeter Swans were not very different. Through nearly a century of effort, cross border partnerships, intense research and passionate nature lovers, we were able to make a difference in this species’ future on the planet. Mark Heckbert has been leading this battle in Alberta for over a decade and has a true passion for his work. His understanding and appreciation for this amazing species makes him the perfect person to discuss their resurrection, from less then 100 swans to the many thousands that exist today. This is a true conservation success story that would not be possible without generations of hard work and dedication in, what seemed to be, insurmountable odds.

In this archival program, efforts to save Trumpeter Swans by redistributing them. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“I have a wonderful dream where everyone values the preservation of nature and we are inspired to protect it.” ~Meera Sulaiman-Photographer, Artist, Lover of Wildlife  I had such a great time speaking with this week’s guest, Meera Sulaiman. It was like speaking to a long time friend, we have so much in common. Our conversation went on for well over an hour where we talked about our passions, Meera’s many projects and life. Because I wanted this episode to focus on the conservation of Trumpeter Swans, I edited out a piece of the conversation to include as a bonus track.  Bonus track and interview audio can be found at www.beprovided.com/blog In this bonus track Meera talks about a current threat to Double-Crested Cormorants; they also need our help right now! This is worth listening to to learn more about these birds. If they are all killed off, the ecosystem of other water birds they form colonies with are negatively affected. Another reason why we should not mess with Mother Nature. Meera Sulaiman is a Sri-Lankan born artist and photographer now living in Ontario, Canada. I was introduced to Meera’s beautiful photographs on Instagram, specifically her photographs of Trumpeter Swans. I knew I had to hear her story and learn more about these beautiful birds. A few years ago as she approached La Salle Park, she heard loud chaotic trumpeting sounds like many horn musicians each blowing in a different pitch. As she approached the park she realized it was hundreds of Trumpeter Swans. (Meera included this wonder example of trumpeting! https://www.instagram.com/p/BrkfPQhBp8f/ . ENJOY!) Meera’s curiosity led her to form relationships with Beverly Kingdon of the Trumpeter Swan Coalition and Harry Lumsden, leader of Trumpeter Swan restoration in Ontario. She soon found herself immersed in one of the greatest conservation stories in history. For more than 100 years, there were no trumpeters in the area until biologist Harry Lumsden and a group of volunteers began working on restoring these birds back to Eastern Canada in the 1980s. Presently there are an estimated 1000 swan individuals in the province with approximately 130 breeding pairs.  Enjoy Meera’s story and feel inspired by her work to promote the existence of these beautiful swans and other wildlife. In this episode, Meera tells us how she became involved, how she is inspired to educate the world about wildlife, how people can help in any way and what gives her hope.  Here is the audio with the bonus track below along with her beautiful photographs. (go to www.beprovided.com/blog to see a gallery of Meera's photographs). Here is a story by Meera about the swans in the photograph below! Aphrodite and Ares Family Trumpeter Swan Family, two adults and their eight offspring after sunset in Ontario, Canada. The two adults in this photograph is known by their tags as 131, the female also fondly called as Aphrodite, and the male R36 fondly named as Ares. Aphrodite is the only Trumpeter Swan on record anywhere that had managed to fledge 10 Cygnets in a single breeding year with her former mate 902, who has since passed away. It was also reported that Aphrodite and Ares got separated at the end of 2017 winter due to an illness with Aphrodite. Aphrodite after being nursed back to health was reported dating few swans that winter, and her partner Ares seemed to have moved on. However, it was reported this year that she is reunited with R36 and is back this year with her new family. How to find Meera: Link to trumpeter swan conservation event pictures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDxqahXoWII Website: www.washofblack.com | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meera.sulaiman/  

I like to interview interesting people for my Photographing the West podcast and Harry Fuller certainly is one. During a career in journalism, he lost interest in baseball and took up birding instead. After moving to San Francisco, he rapidly advanced from beginning birder to expert birder and began to write about birds. In the process of moving from San Francisco to Ashland, Oregon, he discovered many birding hot spots along I-5 and went on to write a book about them and other birding spots between San Francisco and Seattle.  His second book describes his adventures in finding and documenting the Great Gray Owl in California, Oregon and Washington. Finally, his just published third book describes the natural history of San Francisco from pre-Columbian times to the present. Harry's journalistic training and experience lead him to do a deep dive into any subject that interests him. You won't regret purchasing any of his books: Freeway Birding, San Francisco to Seattle by Harry G. Fuller (Author) Great Gray Owl of California, Oregon and Washington Hardcover by Peter J Thiemann (Author, Photographer),‎ Harry Fuller (Author) San Francisco's Natural History: Sand Dunes to Streetcars by Harry G. Fuller (Author) Websites: freewaybirding.com www.towhee.net Blog Activities: January 24-28, 2018: I will be at the 2018 Snow Goose Festival in Chico, California. I will give three presentations: Great Gray Owls, Sandhill Cranes and on birding Interstate 5.  Also I will be leading a couple field trips, including one focused on the wintering cranes. March 2-6  I will lead a fund-raising trip for Klamath Bird Observatory onto the Olympic Peninsula.  Some of our target birds will be Rhino Auklets, Harlequin and Long-tailed Duck, Red-necked Grebe, all three scoter sp. and Trumpeter Swans. March 15th: I will speak at the Sacramento Audubon Society meeting. Topic: Birding I-5 and the Great Gray Owl. March 16th: I will speak at the Lindsay Museum, Walnut Creek, CA,  Topic: Great Gray Owls.  They house the only living, captive Great Gray Owl in California. Contact Info: Harry Fuller Birding Guides: The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd Edition by David Allen Sibley (Author) The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America: Second Edition by David Sibley (Author) Sibley Birds West: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Sibley (Author) Thanks for listening. Please leave us a review on iTunes! Kirby www.flanaganfotos.com kirby@flanaganfotos.com  

Kevin Drees talks about Blank Park Zoo's role in saving a rare bird, once extinct in Iowa

Trumpeter Swans have been dying from lead poisoning. Martha Jordan of the Trumpeter Swan Society wants to find the source of the lead shot that the swans are ingesting. Trumpeter Swan Society Trumpeter Swan Society - Washington Lead Poisoning in Washington Swans