Monthly Updates Written by Gary Ivey, PhD.
Here’s a July 2024 update on the latest locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Malheur Refuge’s Benson Pond in February 2023 with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. Only 1 collar (@10) has checked in over the past 2 months. This female remains on a small wetland, just NE of Chaten, Alberta. This is the same wetland where she summered last year. She is likely with a brood of young ones.
I am hopeful that some of the other collars are still collecting data and that we will get their locations when they begin moving this fall and pass into cell phone tower range.
Here’s a June 2024 update on the latest locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Malheur Refuge’s Benson Pond in February 2023 with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. Only 1 collar (@10) has checked in this month. Some of the collars may have expired, and this may be the last of their data that we receive.
Neck collar code @10. This female remains on a small wetland, just NE of Chaten, Alberta. This is the same wetland where she summered last year (she is home!).
Neck collar code @11. We had just one data point for this female on April 4 and she was on a small wetland a couple miles east of Pincher Creek, Alberta.
Neck collar code @13. This female last transmitted from a small wetland 2 miles south of the Northwest Territories Border on April 20.
Neck collar code @16. This female’s collar last checked in at a small pond located about 2 miles north of Jumping Pound, Alberta (west of Calgary), on April 12.
Neck collar code @17. This male’s collar last checked in on April 8, at a wetland off the Red Deer River, just south of Benalto, Alberta.
Neck collar code (@19). This female’s collar has not transmitted data since late August 2023 when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare.
Neck collar code @20. On April 8, he moved about 200 miles north to arrive at a small wetland about 4 miles south of Wabamun Lake, Alberta, which is the latest data we have received.
May 2024 – We are still following the recent locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Malheur Refuge’s Benson Pond in February 2023 with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. One of the collars (@19) has not transmitted data since late August 2023 when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 6:
Neck collar code @10. This female remained on Malheur Lake until March 20, when she traveled over 300 miles NE to north-central Idaho to spend 2 days on Dworshak Reservoir before continuing in an ENE direction on March 22, crossing Montana’s Flathead Lake and Lake McDonald and the Continental Divide to end up traveling over 180 miles to spend 2 days on a small lake 5 miles south of the Canadian border. On March 8, she moved about 25 miles NE where she used several wetlands located NW of Mountain View, Alberta where she remained until April 8 when she moved about 60 miles north to spend the night on a small wetland west of Parkland, Alberta. On April 9, she moved over 100 miles north to spend the night on a small wetland SE of Disbury, Alberta. The next day, she flew throughout the night and continued April 11, travelling over 500 miles north to arrive at a small wetland, just NE of Chaten, Alberta. This is the same wetland where she summered last year (she is home!). Her collar last transmitted on April 17.
Neck collar code @11. This female remained east of Steens Mountain, using Mann and Juniper lakes until she moved on March 8 to the Cow Lakes wetlands, north of Danner, Oregon. On March 13 she moved over 100 miles east to spend the night on a small wetland about 10 miles east of Mountain Home, Idaho. The next day, she moved over 90 miles east to a small wetland located 1.5 miles NE of Carey Idaho where she remained at least until March 17 which was the last date her collar transmitted data.
Neck collar code @13. This female continued using Malheur Lake until March 21, when she departed after dark and flew through the night, heading NE for over 300 miles to use the south end of Lake Cour d’Alene, near Hawley’s Landing, Idaho where she remained through March 28. On March 29, she flew north over 200 miles to spend the night on Columbia Lake at Canal Flats, British Columbia. The next day, she flew over 235 miles NNE, crossing into Alberta to a small wetland about 5 miles south of Wabamun, Alberta. She spent 7 days using a variety of wetland in that region until she moved north again on April 7, moving about 120 miles north to spend one night on a wetland near Grouard, Alberta. On April 8, she moved about 40 miles north to use several small wetlands before continuing north on April 10. That day she travelled about 55 miles NNW to spend 9 days using wetlands around Chinook Valley, Alberta. She then moved about 175 miles north to spend a couple of days at Hay Lake wetlands near Chaten, Alberta before crossing into NE British Columbia and flying at least 130 miles to a spot 2 miles south of the Northwest Territories Border which is the last data her collar transmitted (on April 20).
Neck collar code @16. This female did not transmit data in late February or March, but we did get data this month. She was still on the Refuge at Diamond Swamp on February 12, and remained in the North Blitzen Valley until March 17 when she moved to the east side of Malheur Lake. On March 18, she moved about 30 miles NE to spend one night on Bede Reservoir, east of Buchanan, Oregon. On March 19, she moved NE about 120 miles, crossing into western Idaho to spend one night on a small pond on the Nes Pierce Reservation, near Westlake, Idaho. On March 20 she traveled over 250 miles, crossing the Continental Divide and spent 11 days using wetlands on both sides of the Canadian border. On April 1, she moved about 25 mines NW to spend 7 days on wetlands NW of Glenwood, Alberta. On April 8, she moved about 65 miles north to a small wetland 5 miles NE of Nanton, Alberta. The next day, she continued, flying NW for about 40 miles to spend one night on a small wetland just north of Millarville, Alberta. On April 10, she moved about 25 miles north to a small pond located about 2 miles north of Jumping Pound, Alberta (west of Calgary), where she remained at least until April 12 (last date of data transmission).
Neck collar code @17. This male was last reported on March 21, on NE Malheur Lake. On March 23, he moved over 300 miles NE to the same general area on Dworshak Reservoir where @10 stopped over. On March 30, he moved over 250 miles NE to spend 2 days on and near a reservoir located about 4 miles west of Stavely, Alberta. On April 1, he moved about 20 miles north to spend a couple days on some small wetlands about 5 miles west of Brant, Alberta before departing north again on April 3. He then moved north to use several wetlands southeast and east of Calgary through April 7. On April 8, he moved over 100 miles north to a wetland off the Red Deer River, just south of Benalto, Alberta. That was the last date we received data from his collar for now.
Neck collar code @20. This male was at Church Slough, north of Flathead Lake, Montana on March 27. He moved about 40 miles NNW on March 28 to spend one night on Upper Stillwater Lake, south of Radner, Montana. The next day, he continued north for about 100 miles, crossing the Continental Divide to spend a night on a small wetland, about 15 miles north of Lundbreck, Alberta. On March 30, he moved about 45 miles NE to a small wetland about 4 miles NW of Nanton, Alberta. On April 1, he moved about 20 miles north to use a variety of wetlands near Mazeppa, Alberta through April 6. On April 7, he flew about 20 miles north to a small wetland about 4 miles east of Calgary. On April 8, he moved about 200 miles north to arrive at a small wetland about 4 miles south of Wabamun Lake, Alberta, which is the latest data we have received.
April 2024 – Here’s an update on the recent locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Malheur Refuge’s Benson Pond in February 2023 with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. 
One of the collars (@19) has not transmitted data since late August when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 6:
Neck collar code @10. This female continued using Boca Lake and Benson Pond until March 17, when she shifted up to Malheur Lake, using areas on the east side of Cole Island Dike (the east portion of the lake). She remained there at least until March 19, the last date we received data from her collar.
Neck collar code @11. This female remained east of Steens Mountain, using Mann and Juniper lakes at the beginning of March. On March 6, she moved north to the tiny Ten-Cent Lake (also just east of Steens Mountain), which was the last date her collar transmitted data.
Neck collar code @13. This female continued using Boca Lake and Benson Pond until March 18, when she also shifted up to Malheur Lake, using areas near the center and east portions of the lake. She remained on the NE end of the lake until at least until March 20, the last date we received data from her collar.
Neck collar code @16 did not transmit data this month. Our last data for her was transmitted on February 12 when she was still on the Refuge at Diamond Swamp.
Neck collar code @17. This male also continued using Boca Lake and Benson Pond until March 19, when she also shifted up to Malheur Lake, using areas near the center and east portions of the lake. He remained on the NE end of the lake until March 20, when he flew about 16 miles north to spend time on a small, flooded area in an alfalfa pivot near the town of Buchanan, returning to Malheur Lake on the same day. On March 21, the last date we received data from his collar, he was still on NE Malheur Lake.
Neck collar code @20. This male had moved up from Boca Lake to Malheur Lake on February 2. He used the south-central area of Malheur Lake until he departed on March 9 to head NNE for about 35 miles where he spent one night on a small impoundment NW of Drewsey. On March 10 he flew NNE for about 115 miles, passing John Day, Baker City, and LaGrande, and arrived at a small oxbow wetland along a creek about 3 miles SSE of Imbler, Oregon. The next day, he flew about 270 miles, crossing over Moscow and Haugan, Idaho before arriving at Church Slough, north of Flathead Lake. He remained in that area at least until March 27.
Hopefully all the collars will update their data soon, when they return to an area with good 5G cell phone towers.
March 2024 – Here’s our update on the locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Benson Pond with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration.
One of the collars (@19) has not transmitted data since late August when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 6:
Neck collar codes @10, @13. @16, @17, and @20 – These 5 remained at Malheur all month, using Benson Pond, Boca Lake and Knox Ponds. Neck collar Neck collar @11, this adult female departed Malheur Refuge on February 24 and flew north to stop briefly on Dry Lake (near the Round Barn), then around Steens Mountain and south to spend the last few days on Juniper and Mann Lakes at the east base of Steens Mountain. It doesn’t look like any of these birds will move south of Malheur this winter, likely due to the overall very mild winter.
February 2024 – One of the collars (@19) has not transmitted data since late August when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare. Neck Collar Codes @10, @11, @13. @16, @17, and @20 all remained at Malheur Refuge through the month of January, using Benson Pond, Boca Lake and Knox Ponds (see Figure).
January 2024 – Here’s a December 2023 update on the locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Benson Pond with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. One of the collars (@19) has not transmitted data since late August when it remained on a small wetland in west-central Alberta, near Goodfare. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 6:
Neck Collar Codes @10, @11, @13. @16, and @20 – These 5 remained at Malheur all month, using Benson Pond, Boca Lake and Knox Ponds.
Neck Collar Code @17 – This adult male had arrived in south-central Idaho at Mackay Reservoir the beginning of December, moving to on use Silver Creek near Gannet, Idaho on December 13. On December 17, he began moving west, bypassing Malheur Refuge and spending the night on the Roaring Springs Ranch in Catlow Valley. On December 18, he returned to Malheur Refuge and has been using Benson Pond, Boca Lake and Knox Ponds through the end of the month.
It will be interesting to see if any of these trumpeters move further south to other winter sites over the next month or so. This winter has been generally mild so far, and much colder weather may convince them to migrate south of Malheur.
December 2023 – Here’s an update on the locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Benson Pond with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. Five of the 7 summered in Alberta, one summered in NE British Columbia and the other summered in SW Northwest Territories. As of December 1, 3 had returned to Malheur, one was near Baker City, OR and another near Mackay, Idaho (Figure 1 shows summer locations of the 7 and current locations of the 5 that have migrated). The limited and dated data we have for the 2 remaining, shows them in Alberta. Here are the details of each swan:
Neck Collar Code @10 –This adult female departed her summer site NE of Chateh, in NW Alberta on October 14, moving about 45 miles south to spend about 10 days on an unnamed lake south of Trout Lake, Alberta, close to the very center of the province. On October 25 she moved about 130 miles due south, to stop at a wetland near Camp Creek, Alberta. No new data has been received since then.
Neck Collar Code @11 –As previously reported this female left her summer wetland near Eaglesham, AB on October 11 and migrated to Mann Lake on the east side of Steens Mountain by late October. On November 18 she moved north to Dry Lake near the Round Bard, stopping briefly and then returned to Malheur’s Benson Pond and Boca Lake that same day. She has remained at Malheur to this date.
Neck Collar Code @13 – Her last location was Kolcho Lake Ecological Reserve in British Columbia in September. She left there on October 2 and flew SSE for about 300 miles across central Alberta to stop and spend about 15 days at wetlands near Grouard, AB, including Hillard’s Bay Provincial Park. On October 20, she began moving south, stopping for a couple of days at several small lakes and wetlands, crossing the U.S. border, on October 29, she traveled about 200 miles east of the Rockies, passing over the Blackfoot Reservation and stopping for one night at Willow Creek Reservoir near Augusta, MT. The next morning, she turned west and crossed the Rockies near Phillipsburg, MT and traveled about 450 miles to Bully Creek Reservoir, near Vale, Oregon. She left there on October 31 and flew about 90 miles SW to spend one night on Dry Lake near the Round Barn before arriving at Boca Lake on Malheur Refuge on November 31. She has continued using Boca Lake, and Knox and Benson ponds to date.
Neck Collar Code @16 – This adult female has transmitted very limited data, only showing a location in April along the Keg River in NW Alberta.
Neck Collar Code @17 – This adult male ended up moving to a small wetland about 5 miles west of Cochrane, AB on October 25. On October 27, he moved about 70 miles south to spend 8 days on a lake in Chain Lakes Provincial Park. On November 4, he headed north and returned to the Cochrane area. The next day, he headed back south flying about 170 miles to a small wetland near Woolford Provencial Park in southern Alberta where he remained until November 24. He then moved about 120 miles to use a couple of small wetlands near Choteau, MT before spending one night on Holler Reservoir along the Missouri River. On November 26, he crossed the Rockies near Helena, MT moving south of the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho to Mackay Reservoir where he has remained to this date.
Neck Collar Code @19 – This adult female hasn’t sent us any data since July 17 when she was apparently spending the summer on a small wetland near Goodfare, Alberta.
Neck Collar Code @20 – This adult male summered on a small wetland about 30 miles east of Hotchkiss in north-central Alberta. He began moving on October 16,. He began moving on October 16, stopping at Lubicon Lake before continuing to spend time on a small wetland called Twin Lakes, near Roselea, Alberta through October 23. The next day he moved about 190 miles to spend the next night on a small wetland near Calgary, AB. From there, on October he flew south about 180 miles, crossing the Rockies and into NW Montana to spend 2 days at Mart Lake near Fortine, MT. On October 27, he flew about 170 miles where he stayed at a small wetland just south of Grangeville in west-central Idaho through November 4. On November 5, he flew south about 30 miles before turning north and passing into the extreme SE corner of Washington before turning south, west of the Wallowa Mountains to arrive at wetlands near Imbler, OR where he stayed through November 13. On November 14, he moved to the sewage ponds of Baker City, OR which is the last date data was received on him.
This concludes our 2023 Updates from Gary Ivey on the 7 Trumpeter Swans collared with GPS-GSM Transmitters. If you enjoy this content and want to support work like this, please consider an End of Year Donation to the Friends today!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE!
November 2023 – Here’s an update on the locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Benson Pond with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. One of the collars (@16) has not transmitted data since late March, before they left Malheur Refuge. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 6:
Neck Collar Code @10 –This adult female remained in a complex about 5 miles NE of Chateh, AB where she arrived in September has remained to date. That site is approximately 1100 miles due north of Malheur Refuge.
Neck Collar Code @11 –This adult female made an incredible journey this month. She left her summer wetland near Eaglesham, AB on October 19 to travel SSE through Alberta, passing near Red Deer and Calgary to cross the U.S. border in Montana on the east side of the Rockies to spend time at Duck Lake on October 26. She moved on to spend time on the Missouri River near Montana City and then flew over Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge to Island Park in Idaho. She spent time on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River near Rexburg before heading west to Mountain Home and continuing west over Rome, Oregon before settling on Mann Lake on October 28, where she remains on October 31 (see figure).
Neck Collar Code @13 – This adult female’s collar did not check in this month. Her last location was Kolcho Lake Ecological Reserve in Alberta in September.
Neck Collar Code @17 – The data now shows that this adult male departed the Flathead Valley on March 31 and flew over Glacier National Park, flying NNW through Alberta to arrive at the North Nahanni River where it spent the summer on Nahanni National Park Preserve, about 25 miles south of Camsell Bend, Northwest Territories. It began moving on October 20, crossing into NE British Columbia and spending time at at Kolcho Lake Ecological Reserve (the site also used by @13). He then proceeded into Alberta, ending up at a small wetland about 5 miles west of Cochrane, AB on October 25.
Neck Collar Code @19 – The last data received for this adult female showed her on a small wetland near La Glace, AB in August.
Neck Collar Code @20 – This adult male summered on a small wetland about 30 miles east of Hotchkiss in north-central Alberta. He began moving on October 16, stopping at Lubicon Lake before continuing to spend time on a small wetland called Twin Lakes, near Roselea, Alberta at least through October 20.
October 2023 – During September, four of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in our study transmitted data. Two remained in Alberta, one in British Columbia and one in the Northwest Territories. As in June and July and August, adult female with collar code @10 again remained in the same small wetland just northeast of the small town of Chateh in extreme northwestern Alberta. Similarly, adult female @11 checked in showing that she also remained sedentary for the remaining on a small wetland north of Eaglesham, just south of the Peace River. Adult female @13 was in NE British Columbia in Mahamish Lake Provincial Park when she last transmitted locations in May, but she was about 100 miles south of that location in September, spending time at Kolcho Lake Ecological Reserve. Those three were all marked at Malheur Refuge. The fourth swan, adult female @12 was marked at Summer Lake Wildlife Area and checked in at a very small wetland located about 30 miles east of Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories.
Our other marked trumpeters should begin moving very soon to begin migration and will hopefully reach cell phone coverage and send us their location histories.
September 2023 – Three of the GPS collars of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in the study transmitted data during the month of August. All three were in Alberta. Adult female with collar code @10 again remained sedentary in the same area she used in June and July on a small wetland just northeast of the small town of Chateh in extreme northwestern Alberta. She should be molting her flight feathers at this time of year. Similarly, Adult female with collar code @11 checked in showing that she also remained sedentary for the past couple of months, remaining on a small wetland north of Eaglesham, just south of the Peace River. Adult female @19 remained on the same wetland NE of Goodfare where she was back in June. This sedentary behavior is expected this time of year as these females are possibly nesting and brood rearing during summer months.
Our other marked trumpeters should begin moving by mid-October and will hopefully reach cell phone coverage and send us their location history.
August 2023 – Only one of the GPS collars of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in the study transmitted data during the month of July. Adult female with collar code @10 remained very sedentary in the same area she used in June on a small wetland just northeast of the small town of Chateh in extreme northwestern Alberta. Her sedentary behavior suggests that she has been nesting and may have a brood. She should be molting her flight feathers at this time of year.
Our other marked trumpeters should begin moving begin moving by mid-October and will hopefully reach cell phone coverage and send us their location history.
July 2023 – In May, only 2 of the GPS collars of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in the study transmitted data, while in June, a third swan checked. The other nine are still apparently in locations without cell tower coverage and we should receive their location data when they return to cell coverage (likely next fall). Trumpeter swan @10 remained on a small unnamed wetland in extreme northwest Alberta, just northeast of Chateh. Trumpeter Swan @19 moved west and settled in a wetland in western central Alberta, about 9 miles WSW of the small town of Hythe. Surprisingly, Trumpeter Swan @13 showed up in NE British Columbia along the north shore of Mahamish Lake in Mahamish Lake Provincial Park (see photos below).
June 2023 – Only 2 of the GPS collars of the 12 trumpeter swans marked in the study transmitted data during the month of May. just east of Valhalla Centre called “La Glace Lake”.
May 2023 – I am excited to offer an update on the locations of seven Trumpeter Swans marked on Benson Pond with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. Two of the collars have not transmitted data since late March, before they left Malheur Refuge. Here’s a summary of the travels of the other 5:
Neck Collar Code @10 – This female moved from the Benson Pond/Boca Lake area, up to Buena Vista area in mid-March. On March 23, she left the Refuge and flew NE, stopping for about an hour at Dry Lake, near the Round Barn. She then continued ENE to Idaho, crossing the Snake River near Weiser and spent that night on a small pond near Paddock Valley Reservoir. The next morning, she flew NE, crossing over Kamiah and continuing to spend that night on a small reservoir (Lower Crow Reservoir) on the Flathead Reservation in Montana. On March 25, she resumed flying NE, crossing the Rockies at Glacier National Park and entering Alberta. She continued on to spend several days on a small wetland complex about 5 miles NW of Mountain View, Alberta. On April 1, she traveled north to settle on some small wetlands about 6 miles west of Claresholm, AB, where she stayed until April 9. She then moved north to some small wetlands about 3 miles SE of Aldersyde, AB where she stayed until April 13. She then flew approximately 170 miles NNW to spend one night on Shiningbank Lake, north of Haddock, AB. On April 14, she flew approximately 200 miles north to a small wetland about 8 miles east of Manning, AB. She then traveled about 135 miles NW to arrive at a small wetland complex about 5 miles NE of Chateh, AB where she has remained to date. That site is approximately 1100 miles due north of Malheur Refuge.
Neck Collar Code @11 – After spending about a month in the Benson Pond/Boca Lake area, this adult female moved up the valley to use Buena Vista Pond and to some sloughs west of Rattlesnake Butte on March 15. On the 17th, it moved to Dry Lake north of the Round Barn and returned to the Diamond Valley fields on the refuge. On March 18, it flew east, up Diamond Valley and crossed Steens Mountain, arriving at Mann Lake at the east base of Steens. The next day, she briefly visited Dowell Reservoir, in the boondocks, north of Crowley before flying about 120 miles to a small, unnamed wetland near Willowcreek (north of Vale, OR) where it apparently spent a night. Then she made a huge jump on March 21, flying all night into the panhandle of Idaho, to Harrison Slough near Coeur d’ Alene about 4 in the morning of March 22. Later that day she flew east to spend the night on the Clark’s Fork River near Plain, Montana. The next day, she crossed the Rockies over Glacier National Park and arrived in southern Alberta, spending time in a couple small wetlands south of Brocket on March 29 where she remained until after dark on April 6. That night, she flew north, departing at 10PM and arriving at 9AM the next day at a small wetland about 3 miles NE of Airdrie, AB, where we received the last data transmission on April 8. She has likely moved to a site with no cell tower coverage.
Neck Collar Code @13 – This adult female departed Benson Pond on March 23 and stopped briefly on Malheur Lake before moving to some apparently flooded hayfields about 10 miles SE of Buchanan where she remained until March 30. On that date, she moved NE to the headwaters of the Powder River near Keating, OR where she stayed for one day. She then flew east around the south end of the Wallowa Mountains and then north to spend a couple of days on wetlands near Zimwalt, OR. On April 3, she moved to a small pond about 2.5 miles SE of Wallowa, OR where she spent the night. She then flew across the north end of the Wallowa Mountains and turned south to arrive at wetlands near North Powder, OR. Data shows she has remained there through April 22 (last date data was transmitted).
Neck Collar Code @17 – This adult male spent over a month in the south Blitzen Valley where he was captured, and on March 21 he moved up to spend a day on Malheur Lake. The next day he spent time using flooded farm fields, north of Crane, before moving to Idaho on the 23rd. He flew over Weiser Idaho and spent the night at Mann Creek Reservoir north of there. The next day, he traveled to a small pond west of Indian Valley. On March 25 he traveled over 250 miles to arrive at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in Flathead Valley, Montana. His last location was in the Flathead Valley on March 27. No new data has been received from this bird in April. He has likely moved to a site without cell tower coverage.
Neck Collar Code @19 – This adult female remained in the south Blitzen Valley near the capture site until March 18 when she moved about 120 miles ENE to a small pond about 13 miles west of Weiser, ID. The next day, she moved about 230 miles north to Windy Bay in Harrison Slough, south of Coeur d’ Alene. On March 20, she moved east about 80 miles to spend the night on Clark Fork River about 4 miles NW of Thompson Falls, MT. She then moved about 40 miles east to a series of small wetlands located about 7 miles east of Hot Springs, MT where she stayed for seven days. On March 27 she moved about 80 miles north to Lake MacDonald, along the west slope of the Rockies. The next day, she crossed the Rockies through Glacier National Park and flew north, about 45 miles to a small wetland located a couple of miles from the north end of Waterton Lake, AB. That night, she departed that site and flew at night, moving about 60 miles north to a small wetland about a mile west of Slavely, AB. On March 31, she moved about 15 miles north to a small wetland located 2 miles NE of Nanton, AB where she spent two days. On April 2, she moved about 5 miles NW to another small wetland. The next day, she moved about 10 miles north to use a couple of small wetlands located about 2 miles SE of High River, AB. On April 5, she moved about 40 miles north to several small wetlands located about 5 miles east of Calgary, AB where she stayed for three days. On April 8 she flew about 45 miles north to a series of small wetlands located about 6 miles SE of Olds, AB, where she stayed for two days. On April 10, she moved about 38 miles north to use some small wetlands located a couple of miles SE of Sylvan Lake, AB for two days. On April 12, she moved about 100 miles NNW to spend the night on a large pond, located about 10 miles west of Cynthia, AB. The next day, she moved about 230 miles NE to use a series of wetlands located about 5 miles west of Hythe, AB. She was last recorded there on May 1.
April 2023 – Last month, I reported on our capture of seven Trumpeter Swans on Benson Pond and fitting them with GPS-GSM neck collars to track their migration. Five of the seven are still in the south Blitzen Valley and two are on the move, as detailed below.
Neck Collar Code @11 – After spending about a month in the Benson Pond/Boca Lake area, this adult female Trumpeter Swan moved up the valley to use Buena Vista Pond and to some sloughs west of Rattlesnake Butte on March 15. On the 17th, it moved to Dry Lake north of the Round Barn and returned to the Diamond Valley fields on the refuge. On March 18, it flew east, up Diamond Valley and crossed Steens Mountain, arriving at Mann Lake at the east base of Steens. The next day, she briefly visited Dowell Reservoir, in the boondocks, north of Crowley before flying about 120 miles to a small, unnamed wetland near Willowcreek (north of Vale, OR) where it apparently spent a night. Then it made a huge jump on March 21, flying all night into the panhandle of Idaho, to Harrison Slough near Coeur d’ Alene about 4 in the morning of March 22. Later that day she flew east to spend the night on the Clark’s Fork River near Plain, Montana. The next day, she crossed the Rockies over Glacier National Park and arrived in southern Alberta, spending time in a couple small wetlands south of Brocket on March 29.
Neck Collar Code @17 – This adult male Trumpeter Swan also spent over a month in the south Blitzen Valley where he was captured, and on March 21 he moved up to spend a day on Malheur Lake. The next day he spent time using flooded farm fields, north of Crane, before moving to Idaho on the 23rd. He flew over Weiser Idaho and spent the night at Mann Creek Reservoir north of there. The next day, he traveled to a small pond west of Indian Valley. On March 25 he traveled over 250 miles to arrive at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge in the Flathead Valley, Montana.
