Lasalle Marina

The marina was teeming with trumpeter swans, mute swans, Canada geese, mallard ducks and gulls on this warm and sunny day. In the summer, this bay is home to the local marina and is where we dock our boat.

Trumpeter swans, native to North America, are the larges species of waterfowl with an average weight of 21 to 26 pounds and a wingspan of 73 to 98 inches. Hunted to near extinction in the 19th and 20th centuries, restoration and conservation efforts have helped to increase numbers. Trumpters compete for territory in the Great Lakes with mute swans, an introduced Eurasian species, so restoration is a slow process. These rare (and noisy) swans are tagged as populations are monitored closely.

Fortunately, the swans have been well fed this very cold winter by volunteers. Huge amounts of food are spread daily, but I didn't see any leftovers! The Trumpeter Swan Society is an organization dedicated to conservation of these impressive birds.

After visiting the marina, I went to Maggie's and had a nice visit with her and the babies.