I was thrilled yesterday to spot two Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) a-swimming in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The light brown coloration and the pink that is still visible on their bills suggest to me that these are juveniles—adult Tundra Swans have white feathers and black bills.
I have seen Tundra Swans only a few times in the past. I think that we are relatively close to the southern boundary of the area in which Tundra Swans overwinter. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Tundra Swans breed on lakes, ponds and pools situated along river deltas in Alaska and Canada…wintering flocks gather on estuaries, lakes, bays, ponds and rivers, often situated close to agricultural fields where the birds feed.”
I do not know if there was a flock of swans nearby, but these two were the only ones that I saw. I was hoping to get better photos of the swans, but unfortunately they were scared away by a loud motor boat that ventured too close. It was a real challenge to get a shot of the two swans together as they swam in and out of the patches of bright sunlight at varying distances from each other. The second and third shots that show the two individuals were a bit easier to capture.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I haven’t seen any here this year. We do have several large flocks that return to the far marshes each year. They stay way out where there is no access during the winter months.