Birds

[rejectomorph]

After midnight I was outside and heard a flock of birds approaching. Big birds. I'm not sure what kind, but their calls were loud and frequent. I don't think they were geese. I know they weren't ducks. They may have been some type of swan. They flew overhead, quite low, making quite a ruckus. It was like a big avian party flying over my house. I couldn't actually see them, but I certainly heard them as they flapped their way toward Paradise Lake. I'll have to see if I can find out what kind of large birds winter in the Sacramento Valley. I'd like to get a look at them in the daylight, sometime.

Comments

You've got me guessing

[jaarronn.livejournal.com]

"Birders" like me just love the challenge of trying to I.D. birds. If I had heard them, I'd be able to tell you what they were, I'm quite certain...but of course, I didn't so I will venture a guess based on what you describe and on certain probabilities that I know of. If they were not geese, then you could very well be right in guessing that they may have been swans; either Trumpeter or Tundra Swans since both species "winter" in your region. The strongest other possibility is Sandhill Cranes. I'd be very interested to know if you find out!

Re: You've got me guessing

[rejectomorph]

It was a higher pitched sound than a goose makes, sharp attack and failling a bit toward the end. And very loud. I hear these birds every winter, but only at night. In spring and fall, flocks of geese and ducks are fairly common, day and night, but they fly much higher than these birds were flying. I think they may have been taking advantage of the relatively warm night to go up to the reservoirs above town for some night fishing.

Re: You've got me guessing

[jaarronn.livejournal.com]

From your description of the calls they made, I'd say they are Trumpeter Swans....true to their name.