Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Mute Swan
Scientific name:	Cygnus olor
Date:	2/27/2022
Time:	10:00am
Length of time observed:	1 hour
Number:	3
Age:	2 adults and juvenile
Sex:	Male?,female? and offspring presumably
Location:	Deer Creek reservoir inlet
County:	Wasatch
Latilong:	40.473444, -111.476454
Elevation:	5,500 ftish
Distance to bird:	100m
Optical equipment:	Kowa 66mm spotting scope
Weather:	mostly sunny, calm but cold(15F)
Light Conditions:	excellent
Description: Size of bird:
(Description:) Basic Shape:
(Description:) Overall Pattern:
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Distinctive large, long necked white birds, adults had bright orange bills with a black knob at top, black lores. Juvy had a pink bill with some black at the base. The issue here is not of ID but of providence, is this species established in Utah? I don’t claim to have that answer but feel it may be time for us to re-evaluate this. Mute Swans have been seen at this location since at least 2002, nesting annual for x? years, with up to at least 9 individuals present. They also occur in large numbers and nest annually around St. George, since at least 2000. Random birds can be seen anywhere in the state, such as Duchesne sewage lagoons 2020, and annually a lone Mute showed up in November at Farmington Bay 2011-2015. We have at least 2 locations they are nesting annually, and they have been in both locations long enough that some of their offspring could be nesting? Compare that to California Condors, which are all known to be from released individuals or offspring of such, and only 1 pair have nested in Utah. According to ABA Establishment rules, our Mute Swans may be established now or could be in the near future. See (ABA article}: "Criteria for Determining Establishment of Exotics" (See photo)
Song or call & method of delivery:	mute (pun intended)
Behavior:	mostly sleeping but some fisherman woke everybody up, allowing me better looks at all the swans
Habitat:	Mostly frozen freshwater reservoir, some open water due to current at inlet and many waterfowl present
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	All 3 species of swan present for direct comparison. 3 Mute, 4 Trunpeters and 1 adult ‘Whistling’ Tundra Swan. Trumpeters have an all black bill and are larger, Tundra had a yellow spot at base
Previous experience with this & similar species:
References consulted:	Memory
Description from:	Memory
Observer:	Bryant Olsen
Observer's address:	84102
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	3/13/222
Additional material:
Additional comments:	eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S103846339