Nick's Collared & Banded Swan

I had to share with you all Nick's Swan! This isn't just an every day ordinary Swan I'm told... he got a Swan last year too.. but this one's different! :) See the band around his Neck... well, I guess that's a big deal! There is also a band on his leg too! So I thought I needed to share my husbands great accomplishment!

So here's what I know so far! Nick and his friend Chad went out to the Bear River Bird Refuge last weekend to try and get his Swan for the year... It's rainy and cold, but this doesn't stop these avid, die hard hunters... So I get a call and Nick's all excited! I tried to share in his excitement, but I didn't understand why this one was so different than the one in the freezer we already had! ha! ha! So here's some important info on this particular bird. He even had to take it up to the fish and game to get these bands called in and the bird measured. They even said it's the biggest one they've seen so far! So imagine his excitement then! :) This particular bird... we'll call, Wilford.... was collard and banned in Koyukuk Drainage in the middle of Alaska. The day it was banded there were 51 Swans total that day that got banded there. It was sometime between 2006-2008. It also had a stainless steel leg band, which are very rare. We will have more info on it in a few weeks when we get it back from US bird banding. Pretty cool I guess! So here is my husbands big deal Swan, Wilford! Good Job Honey! Poor little Wilford! Avery was excited to see the "Duckie"... but she didn't understand why Wilford wasn't quacking...

All I have to say is, "Poor Little... I mean Big Swan, flew all the way from Alaska just to get taken by Mr. Hunter." Just kidding Honey! I'm really excited you got your Swan! We are even going to make a nice little mount for the bands for him! :)