Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Canada Day Contest
    • Quadra Island Boat Tour Contest
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year!
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Canada Day Contest
    • Quadra Island Boat Tour Contest
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year!
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / news / Lone swan on Whidbey Island finally gets a partner

Lone swan on Whidbey Island finally gets a partner

January 12, 2022 //  by Black Press Media Staff

Share this:

A historic event has taken place in the Cultus Bay wetlands of South Whidbey, Washington.

A second trumpeter swan, as yet unnamed and of undetermined sex, arrived about four days before Christmas, joining the previously lone swan living in the wetlands since 2019.

“It’s very exciting,” says nature photographer David Welton, of Clinton. “The two swans have been inseparable. We may see a mating pair of birds whose species was almost extinct in the 1930s.”

Welton says he couldn’t believe it when the second swan mysteriously appeared in the 10-acre wetlands of Glendale Valley. The bird could have come from Skagit Valley, where many swans spend the winter, or from as far away as Southeastern Oregon or British Columbia, he says. On Whidbey, the large birds have no direct predators.

READ MORE: Donations fuel successful Lonesome Lake purchase by BC Parks Foundation

There is concern the uncharacteristically cold weather recently may endanger the swans if they have difficulty feeding on submerged grasses when their water is frozen. It’s believed they’re sheltering until the weather warms.

The first lone swan, known informally as Zeus or Waldo, arrived in fall 2019 as an apparent juvenile and showed male territorial behaviour such as chasing Canada geese. Welton and other observers, such as wetlands specialist Dyanne Sheldon of Clinton, are hopeful for the development of a swan population on Whidbey.

Trumpeter swans are protected by federal law. The population was threatened by hunting and loss of habitat in the middle of last century. The national Trumpeter Swan Society, founded in 1968, led much of the protection and re-population work in the US. The swans are returning to their previous historic habitat in a band from New Hampshire through the Ohio Valley, across the upper U.S. and Southern Canada, and into the lower south coast of Alaska.

READ MORE: Swan gets ‘second-chance at life’ after being rescued near 100 Mile

In an online story from 2020, Welton quoted the Concord, New Hampshire Monitor newspaper as saying trumpeter swans indicate “clean waters and high-quality habitat that supports countless plant and animal species.”

The swans have a six-foot wingspan and can weigh as much as 30 pounds. They need up to 300 feet of starting distance to become airborne.

After the wetland water thaws, the trumpeter swan pair might be visible from Cultus Bay Road, between Catron and French Roads, however viewers must stay on the road as the land is private property, closed to visitors.

***

Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: news, TravelTag: USA, Washington, Whidbey Island, Wildlife

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Hikers beware: Avalanche hazards persist in mountain national parks

Hikers looking to explore the mountain national parks are going to have to take caution…

Hikers beware: Avalanche hazards persist in mountain national parksRead More

Canada’s most northern border to reopen June 1, Yukon prepares for return of tourism

Yukon’s tourism industry is abuzz with anticipation as Canada’s northernmost border opens next week for…

Canada’s most northern border to reopen June 1, Yukon prepares for return of tourismRead More

VIDEO: Salmon Arm man takes to the sky for a look around town

Cody Bandsma recently enjoyed an unobstructed bird’s eye view of Salmon Arm. The Salmon Arm…

VIDEO: Salmon Arm man takes to the sky for a look around townRead More

YYJ recovering better than many airports: Victoria Airport Authority CEO

Victoria International Airport will likely continue to experience logistical challenges with the looming prospect of…

YYJ recovering better than many airports: Victoria Airport Authority CEORead More

New beer festival on tap this summer in Greater Victoria

Something big is brewing in Langford. This summer, the inaugural Langford Beer Festival highlights a…

New beer festival on tap this summer in Greater VictoriaRead More

Cultus Lake Day returns with parade, vendors’ market and local breweries

Get ready for pancakes, pints and a parade – Cultus Lake Day is back on…

Cultus Lake Day returns with parade, vendors’ market and local breweriesRead More

Argentina couple discovers Burns Lake on their road-trip to Alaska

A young couple from Argentina, who’ve been on the road, travelling since 2016, stumbled upon…

Argentina couple discovers Burns Lake on their road-trip to AlaskaRead More

Tribal Parks Guardians improve access to Big Tree Trail near Tofino

Some say the Cedar Tree of Life on Meares Island in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (TFN)…

Tribal Parks Guardians improve access to Big Tree Trail near TofinoRead More

What Americans can expect during Memorial Day holiday travel period

By Donald Wood, TravelPulse Officials from AAA Travel expect 39.2 million Americans will travel 50…

What Americans can expect during Memorial Day holiday travel periodRead More

Previous Post: « Bobcats caught on camera, and on a fence, in a Maple Ridge yard
Next Post: 2021 brought record sightings, many newborn whale calves to Victoria waters »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Hikers beware: Avalanche hazards persist in mountain national parks

May 28, 2022

Canada’s most northern border to reopen June 1, Yukon prepares for return of tourism

May 25, 2022

VIDEO: Salmon Arm man takes to the sky for a look around town

May 24, 2022

YYJ recovering better than many airports: Victoria Airport Authority CEO

May 24, 2022

Recent Posts

Hikers beware: Avalanche hazards persist in mountain national parks

May 28, 2022

Canada’s most northern border to reopen June 1, Yukon prepares for return of tourism

May 25, 2022

VIDEO: Salmon Arm man takes to the sky for a look around town

May 24, 2022

YYJ recovering better than many airports: Victoria Airport Authority CEO

May 24, 2022

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2022 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved