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   We have had trumpeter swans stop by our lake every spring and fall for about thirty years. It started when we served as foster caretakers for four juvenile swans for one summer. We did not have to do much to help them along and in the fall they migrated south. Since then, more and more swans spend about a month resting and feeding at our place. This spring, 20-25 swans have been here for almost two months. I have hoped a pair will nest here since they have been staying so long, but I know they prefer the cooler climate of northern Minnesota and southern Canada. Though we know this is unlikely we always enjoy their visit. They almost sound like music as they fly in and out coming from their feeding grounds in the afternoon and leaving again in the morning. Sometimes the majestic birds fly close enough to the house, we hear the wind pass over their wings as we watch from the porch. They have also been spending more time than usual on the beach by the dock or on shore on the far side of the lake.

   The unusual weather, I am sure, is the cause for the delay in the northern migration and the change in their daily activity. The weather may also be a factor in the coyote behavior. It is not unusual to see a coyote once every month or so or to get one picture per week of a coyote passing by a trail camera. This year, it seems we see one or two every week and get pictures on the trail cameras almost daily. It is as though the coyote population has suddenly exploded. We have been cautious on letting the dogs outside when it is dark and keeping track of where they are going during the day. I am sure Jag, the terrier, would not hesitate to fight a coyote and am sure he would not win the fight. He does possess more courage than brains. Billie, the poodle, would probably not intentionally start a fight with a coyote but if it was a female in heat, he might breed her. It would not be good to have smarter and larger half breed coyotes running around terrorizing the neighborhood.

   Saturday morning, as my usual routine, I grabbed a cup of coffee and stared out of the window, waiting for it to turn light. I could hear the geese, ducks, and swans as they stirred preparing for the day. A few turkeys also gobbled from various locations from their perches in the timber. As it became light, I could hear turkeys flying down from their roosts and could see the swans near the far side of the lake preparing to take off. I could also see something white up on the shore. It looked like a patch of snow on the green grass. I went to the spotting scope and checked it out. I was dismayed to see the remains of a swan with feathers spread all around. An eagle was cleaning up what remained of the great bird. What was even more sad than the loss of this one, was when the group of swans took off, one remained behind, calling mournfully. It stayed near the shore calling for a couple of hours before finally flying off to join the others feeding.

I can only assume our swan was killed in the night by a pair of coyotes. Nothing else lives around here that is big enough or brave enough to take one on. It is possible, it succumbed to natural causes, but I will nonetheless continue my relentless war with coyotes. I do not want to see this ever again happen to our swans.

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