Celebrate North America’s largest waterfowl species at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’s annual Trumpeter Swan Soiree Saturday, Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Walnut Woods State Park in West Des Moines.
The Saturday program will be given both indoors and outdoors at the Walnut Woods State Park lodge, with concurrent outdoor viewing and interpretive presentations of trumpeter swans and bald eagles given by naturalists from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department and the Kansas City Zoo.
Spotting scopes and binoculars will be provided.
An estimated 120 trumpeter swans are wintering at the Dale Maffitt Reservoir and surrounding area southwest of Des Moines, providing a rare opportunity to view good numbers of free-flying trumpeter swans.
Trumpeter swans were once common in Iowa but were gone from the state by the late 1880s. By the early 1930s, only 69 trumpeter swans remained in the continental U.S. As the largest North American waterfowl, the all-white trumpeter swans can weigh up to 32 pounds with an eight-foot wingspan.
Public support is vital in restoring trumpeter swans to Iowa, and donations will be accepted, with proceeds going towards Iowa trumpeter swan restoration. Hot chocolate, hot cider, cookies, grilled hotdogs and other snacks will be provided free of charge. Walnut Woods State Park Lodge is located on the southwest edge of Des Moines metro area at 3155 Walnut Woods Dr., West Des Moines.
Trumpeter Swan Soiree Agenda
11-11:10 a.m. Welcome
11:10-11:30 a.m. Trumpeter Swans- Bringing Back a North American Treasure-
Ron Andrews
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Live Trumpeter Swan Presentation- See, touch and learn about swans-Dave Hoffman, Iowa DNR
12-12:20 p.m. Break & Youth Activities
12:20-12:40 p.m. Trumpeter Swan Restoration in Iowa-
12:40-1 p.m. “Return of the Trumpeter Swans” North American film documentary preview – Steve Harryman, filmmaker
1-1:20 p.m. Birding Basics, Anna Buckardt, Iowa DNR
1:30 p.m.- Guided field trip and basic nature photography, swan and wildlife viewing with hands-on photo tips-Wildlife photographers
Eric Williamson and Holly Welch. Dale Maffitt Reservoir and southwest Des Moines area
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Youth activities- Bills & Beaks- How birds eat, and a swan/nature
touch kit, Swan pine cone crafting, bird wings, trumpeter swan
runway and outdoor activities- Joel Van Roekel, Des Moines Park
& Recreation, and Kelly Schouten, Education Instructor, Kansas
City Zoo
More information on Walnut Woods State Park is available on the park’s website.
The Trumpeter Swan Soiree is sponsored by the Iowa DNR, the Polk County and Dallas County Conservation boards, the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department and the Trumpeter Swan Society.
For more information, contact David Hoffman, Iowa DNR wildlife technician, 641-425-0737 cell or 641-357-3517 office.
