Sunday, September 19, 2010

Sunday Swan Watch VII: A Lazy Day Down on the Pond.

Unlike recent weeks when I have spent ages looking for our swans, this week I found most of them in the first two minutes of looking.

The mother swan and the babies were hanging out on their new nesting platform. As I posted a couple of times before someone has been building a new nest since the original one was destroyed by the pond level rising in all the wet weather we have been having.

I had wondered if it was our swans building a new nest, but I didn’t know for sure. Now I think we have the answer.

Any way when I got there mum was busying herself with adjustments to the nest, while the babies snoozed.After I had watched for perhaps twenty minutes the cygnet on the near side popped up its head to have a look around. They are growing quickly, still cute though. Although they are starting to lengthen out they are still a long way from the gawky teenager look that they will have in coming months.Some thing must have been causing an itch because he/she had a scratch.Then up periscope to look around again.He/she noticed me and stared over. I can just imagine the questions ticking: What is that thing and what is it pointing at me?If you click to enlarge this piccie you can just see a tiny bit of the other cygnet’s back poking out behind mums legs.

As to dad, I haven’t seen him around just recently. However, my daughter Io has reported seeing him hanging around on a nearby pond. So I guess he is still in the picture.

Anyway after the cygnet had watched me for a bit I must have been written off as boring and it was back to resting.
Next: the losers in the vote – Cockies and parrots.

13 comments:

Theres just life said...

The swans are gorgeous as always. Glad to see they have rebuilt the nest in a place that easy for you to watch.
Now you don't have to go traipsing around everywhere trying to find them. Hope Dad shows back up soon.

http://www.samposey.com/ said...

Oh, I do love these photos. I'm just a tad bit jealous is all. I would love to do this

But I'm curious, Al, about your daughter's name. How do you pronounce Io?

Lisa said...

What fun to get to watch the cygnets growing up!

Myrna Foster said...

I love your swan watch posts!

Anonymous said...

Good to see Family Swan doing so well. I was struck this time by the beauty of mum's feathers: gorgeous texture and glossy black.

Al said...

Hi Pamela Jo,
They are gorgeous aren’t they?
I guess the new nest means is they aren’t likely to wander too far. Although because they are grazers and dabblers the mother does lead them away from home to feed.
I have wondered why Dad isn’t sticking as close, maybe he is checking out a new location for the family. Or maybe he and mum have had a tiff :-)

Hi Shellie,
I am pleased you like our swans. Don’t be too jealous, I’m doing my best to share :-)
Io’s name is pronounced as if you were saying the letters of the alphabet it is spelled from (so that is Eye-oh). It is a name form Greek mythology.

Hi Lisa,
It is great fun to watch the babies grow. I hope you’re enjoying it too!

Hi Myrna,
I love them too, so I guess we’ll keep going with them.

Hi Christine,
It is a pleasure to see them flourishing. Swans are truly beautiful birds.

Old Kitty said...

Awwwwww I love the Black Swan Family!! They're just so adorable and clever mum and dad for building another nest to ride the high tides!! What lucky cygnets! And aren't they just so sweet! That one looking at you! LOL!!! It really is a very confident cygnet and he/she can afford to be with such enterprising parents!

thanks so much for the update and fabulous pics!! Yay bright and vivid coloured and super duper intelligent birds next! :-)

Take care
x

Ann said...

Beautiful photos. What an inquisitive little cygnet. I am enjoying this wonderful and interesting journey. Thank you Al.

Faith E. Hough said...

Lovely! We have a great blue heron in our pond and I can't resist walking by every day just to look at it. I love water birds.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Oh, Al! I love the fifth photograph. It's just lovely. The contrast between the mum and the baby and the curled neck and the straight one. The grasses behind the mum are all straight and the ones infront are bent. The background is slightly blurred...just beautiful! (I keep saying to myself...don't be jealous of Al's skills...but it's not working...)

Heather G. said...

They are sooo adorable. I don't even live around anywhere where I could take any kind of pics like these. Very jealous...:)

Al said...

Hi Jenifer,
Mum and dad swan are certainly dedicated. I am happy you enjoyed the post.
That’s right parrots soon!

Hi Ann,
He/she certainly is an inquisitive little soul. It is fun to bring you along too!

Hi Faith,
A blue heron, sounds beautiful, I’d be by frequently to check him out too!

Hi Sharon,
Thank you! Now I am feeling embarrassed, the real trick to my skill is I take lots, and I mean lots of photos and pick the best :-)

Hi Heather,
Hey but at least I can share my patch with you :-)

Culture Served Raw said...

Ooh i usually do not like birds, but these pictures really tugged at me. So sweet, it would be wonderful to see how the little ones grow up. What beauty