In June, a photographer friend told me the mute swan pair in the wetlands had produced five cygnets (baby swans). I had not been able to get a good look at the nesting place, and I was excited to learn they had so many.
Ever since my first sighting of a mute swan back in 2009, I’ve kept watch in the nearby wetlands for a nesting pair. I’d seen three cygnets before, but never five! I wondered how many would survive the large number of turtles around here, since turtles are a definite threat to baby swans.
There are several lakes in the area and other pairs of mute swans, but the wetlands family is my prime interest, because they are so close to our mobile home community.
Flooding creates a new refuge
After a recent heavy rain, the wetlands lake flooded out onto surrounding areas, including one road into our mobile home community. The swans found refuge in a flooded area of trees behind a nearby business, and I was able to get this photo of the whole family!
There are only four youngsters now, almost as big as the parents (the two white swans on the right in the top photo). Three of the youngsters are still gray, but one has already turned white with feathers and one of the gray youngsters is starting to show more white.
I am eager for all of the youngsters to get their feathers and learn to fly. The lake behind our mobile home is close enough for the parents to bring the young ones here for their first outing. I hope to be available with my camera when they come.
Learn more about Mute Swans with Audubon
