Trumpets of Spring

After a long winter, the wetlands slowly begin to stir back to life. On this early spring day, we were greeted by the unmistakable sound of two Trumpeter Swans calling across the valley.

Stan captured this moment as the pair carefully walked across the delicately thin blue ice, staying close together while duetting their powerful song that echoed over the wetlands. Every so often they would find small openings in the ice and gently dip their bills into the water - subtle gestures of affection as they reaffirmed their bond.

This behavior is part of the swans’ spring “triumph ceremony,” where bonded pairs celebrate their reunion and the season ahead through synchronized movements and musical calls.

For us, this was a special moment, as it marked our first sighting of Trumpeter Swans that spring. After months of winter quiet, their voices felt like nature’s way of announcing that the new season had finally arrived.

Their calls didn’t just echo across the wetlands.

They sounded like the first true trumpets of spring.

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