Tundra Swans seen around Southern Ontario

(Submitted by our readers from across Ontario)

Tony Grant wrote to say ... June 16 2016 we live on the Shadow river in Rosseau, Ontario, back on June 14 we saw a swan on the river a little too far away to identify. Looking in a bird book we decided it was a Mute swan but now looking at this website, we are not sure. Just wanted to let you know what we saw and would like any information you could provide for us. Any information would be appreciated

Doug & Jane wrote to report their swan sighting ... Island 391 about 7.00 pm when Swans M55 & J91 came into our bay. They are both very tame and saw a pail on shore and came over to our shore. They both seemed to think that we had food for them because of the pail and came right up to us. After a few pieces of food we went inside and they eventually swam off out into the bay.

February 2 - Scotland Drive London ... I heard the familiar sound of Swans and looked up to see a flock of 20 - 30 headed north. It is the earliest I have ever seen swans. I was delighted to see them and thought how early. The earliest I have ever seen them was February 28th back in the 70's

February 13, Doug Wice reported ... Driving east on hwy 401 near Belle River, Ontario, we saw a flock of at least 60 swans sitting in a field on the north side of the road. They were close enough to be easily recognized but too late to snap a picture.

February 22 One of our readers reported ... I heard a big flock of Tundra Swans fly over Stratford, Ontario, late last night 1 am. It was music to my ears – spring has come with the migration of the Tundra Swans. I heard them for a long time as they flew off into the distance. I'm looking forward to keeping my eyes on the sky for the next couple of weeks. It's a true honour to have the Tundra Swans fly over.

March 5th Laura from Bolsover, Ontario wrote to say ... this morning I glanced out to the middle of the lake to find a group of large birds on the ice at Canal Lake, Bolsover. Getting the binoculars into focus, I realized that this was a group of swans; seemingly 2 adults and 8 adolescents. My camera is not powerful enough to zoom in for a clear picture, but upon researching the internet, I believe these individuals are Tundra Swans. Is spring closer than we think?

March 10th at 3:00 pm, I'm sure I saw hundreds of Tundra Swans in fields on Cockshutt Road between Hagersville and Brantford. Another person had stopped on further down the road and was taking pictures with a zoom lens camera. I watched just through binoculars and took short videos on my cell phone. Amazing!

In March, Wally Wedge reported ... I saw two Swans in the runoff in a field. They are not big swans but small, so I think they are a Tundra Swans. This was near Wasaga Beach, Ontario.

George wrote to say ... I live in Norval, Ontario backing on to the Credit River. I spotted a pair of Whistling Swans (Tundra) on the river, both with tags . E85 and L92. Beautiful. Stayed only one day. I believe the E85 bird had been here last year.

Margaret said ... Today April 1 I look west from my home on Jones Crescent Tillsonburg I see a huge flock of tundra swan have come to rest in the field beyond. They seem to be foraging on the corn fields for whatever maybe left to provide nourishment. It is fantastic to see these magnificent birds once again.

April ... I spotted a pair off hwy 71, north of Fort Frances, Ontario, on a small lake. I wish I had gotten a picture.

J. Baskerville from Cambridge, Ontario, reported ... I saw a pair at Shades Mill conservation Area, Cambridge, today. One had a wing tag "R51", the other was further out in the lake and I couldn't get a good look at it. Unfortunately, we left our camera at home.

Thank you for sending us your sightings of Tundra Swans, and my apologies if it has taken a L-O-N-G time for us to publish them!

I will also post this on our facebook page.