Header 1

Header 1
All images below are clickable

Friday 16 December 2016

Mutes in Training

A pair of Mute Swans have successfully reared a brood of six young on the smallest of the three lakes in the Parkland. Now the young Mutes are almost fully grown and have for a while now been practising their take off in preparation for their final depart. They have to get up to speed as if they hang around too long then their previously caring parents will suddenly turn into their worst enemies. They will mercilessly drive them off and inflict pretty severe punishment on them, or worse, if they don't leave. 

Its amusing to watch them line up at one end of the lake preparing to take off into the wind (as heavy birds like these will always do). One of them lifts its head up and down and another will copy this. Then off the go with much splashing of water with their wing tips and webbed feet. There is no Air Traffic Control involved here as anything thing in their way like an unsuspecting Coot or Duck will get mowed down if they don't move.  

I could only get five of the six Mutes here in the line due to the lens I was using.






















12 comments:

  1. Hoi, mooie serie van de zwanen, klasse
    groet eilanfsaete

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh the end is very beautiful !!! I love it ! Good pictures Roy

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are wonderful shots esoecially getting the youngers all in a line. Marvellous flight shot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely set of images Roy of these swans. If there was such a thing as reincarnation, what bird would you like to come back as? Sometimes I think it would be nice to be the Wandering Albatross :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lyn.
      I think I would like to be a Great Black-backed Gull Lyn. :)

      Delete
  5. Hey Roy... These are awesome captures. They are looking a bit awkward,especially in # 7,8,9, :)!!
    Must be great fun to photograph.

    Grace

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for visiting
and commenting on my blog