Our largest native waterfowl in North America, a Trumpeter Swan, navigates a graceful lake landing. With wingspans of up to nearly 8 feet, such beautiful birds to watch in flight.

Trumpeter Swans glide with grace across the sky during the golden hour. These are the largest native waterfowl here in North America, can stretch up to 6 feet in length and weigh more than 25 pounds. Such a delight to observe and experience. Learn more about these swans at the website of The Trumpeter Swan Society.

As the largest native waterfowl in North America, and with a wingspan of up to 7 to 8 feet, these elegant swans need a lot of room to take off . . . on water that is: Trumpeters cannot take off on land, only on water. . . .

Found some trumpeter swans taking a break from their migration recently, and caught one showing off its wingspan. I'm always struck by just how white and beautiful their feathers are, what a treasure they are.

A family of Trumpeter Swans in flight on a late winter evening.

This trumpeter swan was coming in for a landing on the east side of the lake during the golden hour but changed its mind at the last minute and banked up and right, then decided to land a little further south on the lake. Captured earlier this year in McHenry County, Illinois.