[CT Birds] Tundra Swan, Stratford

[Frank Mantlik]

Sunday, 3/2
After about 3 hours of searching the Lordship area of
Stratford for the TUNDRA SWAN reported yesterday (and
seen this morning at various spots by others), Tom
Hook and I located the swan 12:45pm, still in the
area.  On a second-hand tip from other birders, we
found it in Lewis Gut, which is the channel between
Great Meadows marsh (McKinney Refuge) and the cottages
out on Long Beach. From near the end of Long Beach
Blvd. (where #650 begins), we walked around the back
(marsh) side of the newly seeded lawn, then down a
deer path through the thickets and phragmites to the
marsh edge by the old shipwrecked boat.  The Tundra
Swan was straight out in the cove of Lewis Gut, then
swam out to mid-channel.  The light was not the best,
being quite backlit (looking south).  Much better
light would have been to view from the cottages on
Long Beach, but that's a very long hike. Tide was
about dead low then.  My guess is that it might return
to the "Warehouse Pond" during high tides, but the
bird appears very wary, and birders should be
cautioned to approach quietly, so as to not flush it.

>From Frank Mantlik
Stratford, Long Beach Blvd., Lewis Gut/Great Meadows
marsh, 12:45 - TUNDRA SWAN continues.