Tag Archives: tundra swans nc

The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Springtime Tundra Swan sighting at the Pungo Unit

I made a spur of the moment visit this morning to the Pungo Unit at the Pocosin Lakes NWR and was surprised to see 5 Tundra Swans feeding in the fields.
These guys should have migrated north last month so spotting this little flock was an unexpected sight.
I’ve never had an opportunity to photograph a Tundra Swan in the spring before. Normally it’s winter’s muted hues of grey and brown which color the background of my swan portraits so I was pleased to have a bit of that lovely green included in the landscape.



Tundra Swans are commonly seen here in southeastern North Carolina from November through early March in our coastal counties with peak numbers occurring in January.Look for them in open marshes, lakes, shallow ponds and estuaries in fresh and brackish waters. They are also easily found feeding in grain fields in agricultural areas too. It’s awe inspiring to see flocks of hundreds of Swans feeding in a corn field, wheat field or soybean patch.


Since the springtime migration window has passed for these swans I assume that they will remain at Pungo throughout the rest of the year.
Hopefully these magnificent birds with depart for their breeding grounds in the Colville River Delta region of north Alaska next spring.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Field Notes

The Tundra Swans have returned to the OBX in eastern North Carolina

By Sally Siko

One of the things I look forward to the most year after year is the return of the large flocks of Tundra Swans in eastern NC.
Thousands of these majestic white birds are flying in to spend the winter months in the fields, lakes and impoundments of our coastal counties.



It’s quite a sight to stand on the shoreline of a lake and see so many of them all in one place. Yes they are indeed beautiful but gosh they are a noisy and rambunctious bunch lol!
Large groups of Tundra Swans may be best defined as thinly controlled chaos so it’s not uncommon to see scuffles like the one pictured here break out within the flock.
I photographed these two pairs brawling this past weekend and boy it was as entertaining to watch as any prize fight haha 🙂



When they’re not fighting each other, Tundra Swans nest in northern Alaska and in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Nunavut, northeastern Manitoba, northern Ontario, and northwestern Quebec.
Interestingly, these guys break off into 2 distinct groups of eastern and western migrating populations when traveling between breeding and wintering grounds.
Swans that nest east of Point Hope in northern Alaska winter on the Atlantic coast, while birds breeding from Point Hope south & west winter along the Pacific.
It seems odd to me for the birds in the Coleville River region of Alaska to make such a long trip east which spans across the entire United States when a straight shot flight south to California is quite a bit closer.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad they are here!

You can find these beauties in southeastern North Carolina from November through early March in with peak numbers occurring in January.
Look for them in open marshes, lakes, shallow ponds and estuaries in fresh and brackish waters. They are also easily spotted feeding in grain fields in our agricultural areas too.
So cool!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birdwatching News, Field Notes

Tundra Swans will soon be leaving North Carolina for their breeding grounds

With winter coming to an end, soon these Tundra Swans will leave North Carolina to head north to their breeding grounds.
I have to admit that although I’m looking forward to the spectacle that spring migration provides, I’m kinda bummed that winter is over.
I’m in no mood for hot temperatures and the return of insects lol!



I spotted quite a few Tundra Swans last week in eastern NC. While many of them appear to have left the Pea Island NWR, there were still thousands to be found in the fields of the Pocosin Lakes NWR.
It was really neat to see such a huge flock together all in one place.

Tundra Swans nest in northern Alaska and in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Nunavut, northeastern Manitoba, northern Ontario, and northwestern Quebec.
Interestingly, Tundra Swans break off into 2 distinct groups of eastern and western migrating populations when traveling between breeding and wintering grounds.



Swans that nest east of Point Hope in the Coleville River region northern Alaska winter on the Atlantic coast (including these beauties shown here), while birds breeding from Point Hope south & west winter along the Pacific.
It seems odd for the birds in the Coleville River region of AK make such a long trip east which spans the entire United States when a flight due south/west to California is quite a bit closer.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad they make the trip south to visit us!
Though I’m sad to see them go I’ll be eagerly waiting for their return later this year.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved 50MP beast, the @canonusa #5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Enjoying the Tundra Swans at the Pea Island NWR

Every winter, the waters of the North and South ponds in the Pea Island NWR begin to fill up with all sorts of species of waterfowl including Shovelers, American Wigeons, Gadwalls, Redheads, Bufflehead, Teal, Pintails and of course the Tundra Swan.



It was a real treat to watch these large birds preening on the shoreline. This one spent a great amount of time coming its bill through its feathers and then flapping every so often to shake them back out again.
They stand at around 3 feet tall and with a wingspan stretching 6ft across tip to tip, these massive swans are truly an epic sight as they glide overhead too!



As seen in the photo below, one of their interesting behaviors to observe is foot stamping. Though Tundra Swans are primarily herbivores, they also eat mollusks and arthropods which live underwater in the mud. To find these protein rich snacks, when foraging in shallow water, the Tundra Swan will stamp and scrape it’s large webbed feet onto the bottom of a pond or marsh to stir up any clams, snails or muscles that may be hiding in the mud below. Then they dip their long necks into the water to catch their prey.



Tundra Swans are commonly seen here in southeastern North Carolina from November through early March in our coastal counties with peak numbers occurring in January.
Look for them in open marshes, lakes, shallow ponds and estuaries in fresh and brackish waters. They are also easily found feeding in grain fields in agricultural areas too. It’s quite am incredible sight to see flocks of hundreds of Swans feeding in a corn field, wheat field or soybean patch.
With springtime migration rapidly approaching, soon these magnificent birds with depart for their breeding grounds in the Colville River Delta region of north Alaska.
I’ll miss them when they are gone but am always looking forward to their return at years end.

I’ve added new birding tour dates for 2021 to visit the Pea Island NWR so if you’d like to join me, check out the trip link “Birding at Alligator River NWR & Pea Island NWR” below!

Book today because space is limited 🙂



Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds