Hello. For all those people reading my post let me take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Heather Kraus and I am the new avian care intern at Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. For the next few months I will be helping the head animal caretaker with the daily responsibilities needed to maintain the health and welfare of the birds.

As a first timer in Michigan (I was born and raised in Pennsylvania), I was unfamiliar with the waterfowl that reside in the area, especially Trumpeter Swans. I had looked at pictures before my trip, but that didn’t prepare me for the first time I saw a Trumpeter Swan in the feathers. I will admit it was a bit of a shock. Did you know they’re the largest waterfowl native to North America? I didn’t (www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Trumpeter_Swan). Besides their size, I now understand where the name comes from. Their call sounds like a brass player warming up for a concert.

Two Trumpeter Swans swimming in Wintergreen Lake

Besides the permanent sanctuary residents there are many other backyard birds to observe. It may seem like most birds have flown south to escape the Michigan winter, but some brave birds still remain. Over the weekend I surveyed the tough individuals on the Sanctuary grounds. What I saw was expected: ducks, swans, geese, and a few resident songbirds. However, what I didn’t expect was such a massive number of ducks and geese. Wintergreen Lake was packed with CanadaGeese. I personally counted a little over 300 but I’m sure I missed some.

So if you’re interested in seeing some of the winter species, stop by for a visit. Walk the trails and survey the lake. You may see what I saw: a nuthatch crawling along the bark of a tree, a flash of cardinal red in the bushes, or a giant gaggle of geese. Just check out my postings every week to find out the recent bird sightings at KBS (http://www.kbs.msu.edu/visit/birdsanctuary/visitor-info/birds-at-kellogg-sanctuary).