i have been watching a pair of mute swans since the last week of march, which is when i first saw the female swan on her nest. a search on the internet said that in the wild, it usually takes 36 days for swan eggs to hatch. so, i waited and waited. felt like a ten year again waiting from thanksgiving to christmas to open presents. 36 days passed with no change. sometime on may 30th they hatched. when i came out on monday may 31 the nest was empty. after hatching, the swans took the babies to cover for their protection. the parents would raise their head above the leaves like a submarine raising periscope. they would spot my car and down went their head. i never saw the baby swans that time. the next day i went back and this time the parents and babies were in the open and i got a few pictures to share. hope you enjoy them.
parent swan looking out for danger
Canon EOS R5EF600mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III lens840mmf/5.61/800s1000 ISO0.0 EV
Canon EOS R5EF600mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III lens840mmf/7.11/800s2000 ISO0.0 EV
swan family portrait
Canon EOS R5EF600mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III lens840mmf/7.11/800s2500 ISO0.0 EV
Canon EOS R5EF600mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III lens840mmf/9.01/1000s4000 ISO0.0 EV
female swan on the nest checking the eggs
Canon EOS R7EF600mm f/4L IS II USM lens600mmf/5.01/1000s1600 ISO-0.7 EV
This is a great set of captures and is like the beginning of a journey to follow them around. I now expect a daily baby swan update post in the forums to share together in seeing them grow up
thank you for all your comments. they are greatly appreciated. unfortunately, the water level where the swans and their babies are has dropped to the point where they have had to move an area with higher water level. i no longer am able to see them or get pictures. if things change and they return to an area where i can get pictures, i will share them on the forum.
