February 2025
Pacific Northwest
Our temps are above freezing in the daytime but still freezing at night, which means ponds and marshes have ice. Yesterday when we were out and about we passed by Otto’s marsh to check on the swans. Otto’s is one of the biggest marshes on the island but it’s shallow. In summer it’s just a field.
Swans prefer to be in water on the island, unlike the mainland where they are mostly on the grassy and muddy fields. Otto’s is one of the few spots swans are likely to be seen here. It looked like most of the marsh was iced over but the swans were knocking back a little area so they can forage. From the road, Otto’s looks like this:
I like to keep track of their numbers, but it was tricky counting them. The clumps of snow looked like swans feeding :)
Zoomed in pics:
Some of the swans. Looks like some mallards and shovelers are making use of the ice-free hole the swans have created
I reported to eBird the number I counted. I’ll add that in a comment later :)
❄️
Still chilly today in the Pacific Northwest islands. Currently mid 30s. Overcast and calm. No new snow.
What’s up in nature in your neighborhood?
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