There is nothing graceful about the way Tundra Swans splash down and they have a bit of a kerfuffle if another swan is in their landing path. In the end, no swans were hurt. This time.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
December 25, 2025
Tundra Swans continue to return to South Carolina’s Bear Island Wildlife Management Area each winter. We photographed them this year for the first time since 2020 and were fortunate to go on day that was in the low 70s (21C).
Many of the Swans were towards the middle of Mary’s House Pond giving us a decent view as they moved around.
All that flapping and splashing gives a good audio cue that take off is about to happen.
This duo got further and further apart as they lifted off.
Repeating myself from a 2018 post, these swans can weigh up to 23 pounds (10 Kilos) so getting into the air takes a huge effort and considerable runway distance.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
December 25, 2025
Waves of Tundra Swans flew into Mary’s House Pond at Bear Island, where the sky was cloudy to the south.
I heard them but didn’t spot them until they had gone by. They did a small loop closer to me but then banked away.
I caught this group approaching from the north, where the skies had cleared.
This one put his landing gear out long before the actual touch down, which ended up being on the far side of the pond.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area
February 10, 2020
The Tundra Swans are still hanging out at Bear Island Wildlife Management Area although local lore says they will be heading north any day now. A flock averaging 300 of these Swans has been coming to this area every winter since the mid 1970s.
On this morning the fog was dense and the air perfectly still. The gnats almost carried us off. The water level in this pond is low and these Swans were wading or sitting in mud rather than swimming.
A few took off and disappeared into the fog before I could even focus on them.
Taken 3/3/2019
We went back to Bear Island Wildlife Management Area for another try at seeing the Tundra Swans taking off from their overnight resting spot. We couldn’t get very close but we did get to see, and hear, a few.
These swans can weigh up to 23 pounds (10 Kilos) so getting into the air takes a huge effort and considerable runway distance.
The noise of the flapping of their wings echoing across the pond first alerted me. The ducks and other swans behind them paid no attention.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, 1/24/2018
