Photo: Facebook/Scott Thomson

The number of trumpeter swans spotted in greater Vernon swelled this year, while eagles held steady.

The Vernon Naturalist Society held its annual swan and eagle count on Jan. 12 – a citizen-science initiative by teams of volunteers interested in the well being of trumpeter and tundra swans, and bald and golden eagles

Counting participants spotted 323 trumpeter swans, a big increase from the just 78 spotted last year. Of those, 278 swans were adults and 45 were immature.

For the eighth year in a row, there were zero tundra swans spotted in the area. The bird breeds in the remote Canadian arctic and has only been spotted once by counters in the last 14 years – in 2017.

The group also counts both bald eagles and golden eagles.

In 2025, counters saw 189 bald eagles, a slight increase over last year, with 118 adult and 71 immature.

There were just three golden eagles spotted.

The count covers a region roughly from Oyama to Mara Lake and from Otter Lake/Head of the Lake to Mabel Lake.

Photo: Tim Fitzgerald