Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Swan Cygnets at Lake Logan

After reading in the newspaper that the Mute Swans had had seven baby cygnets we decided to take my Mom over to see them. Mom always loves going over in the spring to watch them.

LL_Male_Swan
Daddy was busy grooming himself….

LL_Nest_Swans
While Momma was busy watching all those little ones.

LL_Nest_Cygnets
Unfortunately there were only five cygnets left in the nest so something must have happened to two of them.

LL_Cygnets3
As if on cue or maybe it was the dinner bell, they all decided to go for a swim.

LL_Cygnet2 
Such yummy green stuff.

LL_Cygnet
Not knowing much about swans I thought this poor little thing had something wrong with its leg. It was bent up onto its back.
Then I noticed that they all were doing it so I knew there was nothing wrong with their legs but that when floating they must raise their feet up. LOL!

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I had never noticed this with the big swans because their wings are big and must hide their feet.

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Such cute little things so fluffy and with their black bills.

LL_Nest_Cygnet 
It was good to see water levels in the lake were back up after they had dredged it.

LL_Cattails 
Since the nests were lower this year because of the dredging of the lake there was a  lack of  cattails for making the nests high enough to keep the eggs safely out of the water if we had a very wet spring. Luckily the rains were just enough but not enough to completely cover the nests and now that the cygnets are bigger if the nests get covered they will get by. The cattails are  growing back in so the swans should have a good supply for making nests next spring.