Sunday, October 17, 2010

Swan Watch XI: Unseasonable Weather

I have barely posted recently and I have spent even less time visiting other people’s blogs. First I was away at my Mum’s and since then work and life have just been sucking up so much time. Hopefully you’ll see me around the blogosphere a bit more in the near future.

You'll have to forgive me for being so negligent in responding to your comments. I hope things might be getting more back to normal soon, but we will see.

Io did the swan patrol for me this week because Deb and I headed in the opposite direction. More about that in the moment.

First to the swans. Unfortunately, we have no more news about the injured cygnet. We’ll just have to hope that no news is good news.

On a cheerier note mother swan and the remaining baby are doing well. Io has captured some beautiful piccies to prove it.

The swans are very used to Io and Damian now, when they come down to the ponds edge the swans usually cruise over to check them out.Today they were back in their original pond, I liked this piccie of them coming closer through the reeds.The remaining baby continues to grow at an almost unbelievable rate. It’s hard to believe this strapping youth is the cute fuzzball of only a few weeks ago. I can’t help think of Hans Christian Andersen’s ugly duckling now.

But of course the sinuous curves of baby’s neck reminds us that he/she will be a beauty like mum before too long.Now to Deb and my weekend. Most of the good folk who read my blog live in the Northern Hemisphere and are half way through Autumn. We down here in Oz are halfway through spring and the weather should be warming up.

It isn’t! This is the scene at Kinglake yesterday. It hasn’t snowed where we are (it almost never does in Melbourne and near the coast). But it has been so cold that it has snowed in the hills around here. We can see Kinglake from our street.

I have never heard of snowfalls in the country near Melbourne in October. But there it is.
Higher up at Mount Donna Buang it was still thick.

This is the road to the summit.Being a kid at heart I couldn’t help but walk up to the summit.

Past this gate.To the top where it started to snow again.On the walk back down.
This wattle peeping through the snow further down the mountain is a reminder that it is supposed to be spring.

6 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Oh the Swan family!!! Thanks for the update - I hope the injured cygnet is doing ok too somewhere!

Yay for Io and Damian for befriending mama swan and remaining kiddie!! It really is amazing how fast the cygnet has grown - wow!! How I wish I could be as inspired by Hans C Anderson when watching a baby cygnet and making a gorgeous fairy story about it! :-)

Snow?!?!? Yay!!!! But I appreciate it's unusual so maybe not so yay then! LOL!! But snow covered areas are just so pretty - I feel quite Christmassy now!!!

Did you have a great time with your mum? I hope so!!!! Thanks for these beautiful pics!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday! Take care
x

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Now that you mention it, I have missed your posts and all your pictures! Nice to see you (and the swans) back.

Lisa said...

Io got some great piccies! The snow piccies are beautiful but serve as a reminder to me that weather like that is headed our way before long--ugh.

Theres just life said...

Glad you made it back safely. Too bad you haven't heard about the cygnet. Mom looked so unhappy last post.
Love the snow pictures and the fact that you like me don't let a thing like a locked gate get in your way. Just hope we don't get caught...

Al said...

Hi Jennifer,
At least mum and the remaining baby are OK.
I love snow (sometimes)
I did have a great time with my Mum. I hope to post about the trip soon.

Hi Karen,
It is a good to be back! I’ve been missing posting.

Hi Lisa,
Io did get some great piccies.
Snow here is for the mountains or a very rare novelty so there isn’t too much ugh about it.

Hi Pamela Jo,
Wildlife Victoria who have apparently taken responsibility for the injured baby are really and I mean Really bad at getting back to people.

Myrna Foster said...

It is hard to believe that cygnet grew so quickly. And it's sad that the other isn't there anymore. I hope it's okay. Thanks for the update.