Sunday Road Trip to View Trumpeter Swans in Monticello

On Sunday afternoon, offspring #2 and I took a road trip to see the trumpeter swans in Monticello.  If you have never been there, you really should go.  I like to take the back roads through Elk River and Otsego and then follow the river up to Monticello.  Just before you get to town, when the speed limit goes down to 40 mph, the woods open up on the right and you can see the river clearly.  Stop and park there for a few minutes.  Take out your binoculars. You might think you are looking at white clumps of ice floating down river but they might be huge trumpeter swans.  This is a good spot too see a few trumpeters in a natural looking setting.  Their seven foot wingspan is pretty impressive when you see them come in for a landing.  When you are done looking there proceed up to the first road on the right.  Travel down that road for about a mile until you come to Trumpeter Swan Park on the right.  Now they have a few parking spaces available in this riverside park that is the size of a small city lot.  Be prepared to be amazed by the sounds when you open your car door. Trumpeters are loud birds.  And there is about 100 trumpeters trumpeting. They trumpet and the Canadian geese and mallards chime in.  It's very loud.  Besides the ducks, geese and Trumpeters, we saw a few tundra swans as well.  The tundra swans have a yellow spot above their eyes.  If you want, you can contribute to feeding the swans by putting a few dollars in the collection box.