Swan 20180 was fitted with a transmitter on March 17, 1999. He was
then recorded on March 20, 100km west at Dutton. This is a well known
agricultural area in southern Ontario. On the 27th of March,
Harry was 190km northwest on the eastern shore of Saginaw Bay, Michigan.
On the 3rd of April, this swan had moved 275km northwest. He
than spent several days on Lake Michigan before moving almost straight
west to Shawano, Wisconsin. On April 9th, Harry was 800km
northwest and was located near Hunter, North Dakota. April 12, Harry was
100km south near Mayville, North Dakota where he remained at least until
April 22. On April 25, May 2, and May 5, Harry was located, at Montreal
Lake, Saskatchewan. On May 8, Harry was located 600km northwest to Lake
Athabaska, Alberta. The Peace Athabasca Delta is one of the largest
freshwater deltas in the world. It covers much of the southern portion
of Wood Buffalo National Park. Over 400,000 waterfowl have been recorded
during spring migration and during fall migration estimates have
exceeded 1 million (IBA’s of Canada Online Directory). The swan than
moved 100km northwest to Fort Fizgerald on May 12 and remained there on
May 19. Harry moved 275km northwest to the south shore of Great Slave
Lake on May 22. The South Shore Great Slave Lake IBA site includes the
delta where Slave River meets Great Slave Lake and the shoreline of the
lake east of the delta as far as Taltson Bay. The land is flat with
braided river channels.
The delta and marshes are extremely important for
migrating waterfowl. Over 4,800 Tundra Swans have been observed in
spring and 7,700 in fall IBA’s of Canada Online Site Directory). On
May 25, Harry was located 400km straight north at Point Lake, NWT. Harry
then migrated 100km to Tabijuk Lake, NWT and then another 200km
northeast to Tahoe Lake, on Victoria Island Nunavut.
Harry was next recorded 700km SW near Yellowknife,
NWT. On October 11, the swan was located 300km south at south-end of
Great Slave Lake. On October 16, Harry was found another 300km SE at the
west end of Lake Athabasca, Alberta again in the Peace Athabasca Delta.
On October 31, this swan had again moved 475km southeast to Waterhen
Lake, Saskatchewan and than another 300km southeast on November 6. The
transmitter failed around the 21st of November.
Total accumulated tracking distance was 6,564km.
