As I mentioned recently in another post, this year's swan family has seven cygnets. All are still alive. Number seven, you will note has hitched a ride on mom's back. I am in a kayak and they do not let me get very close.
They are not actually swimming towards me - they are a long ways away and haven't recognized me as a threat yet - but they will soon turn away.
Although not a native species to Massachusetts, we usually have two mating pairs on Bartlett Pond each year - they live as far from each other as possible on different ends of the 30-acre pond.
I'd like to see an underwater video of the little legs paddling furiously to keep up with mom.
Other residents enjoy this sunny rock to hang out. I think these are common Painted Turtles. Not to be confused with the snappers that also live in the pond and are accused of dragging young cygnets and goslings underwater for food. Most years, only one or two cygnets survive to adulthood, some having fallen prey to the snappers, others simply to Darwinian survival.
Over the last several days you have shared nature photo’s that overtake and wins ones heart, which BTW is not unusual in any the photo’s you share. Love the ‘little cygnet baby’ riding on mommy’s back tail…very precious and heartwarming. It’s as if the little one was tired and just couldn’t go on OR is the spoiled one…and got/gets a lift anytime S/He wants from mom. If we could communicate with all bird…all of the animal species… it would be marvelous to know their stories. Makes one, (me) want/wish to be a writer as I am especially intrigued by the baby riding on mom’s back.
ReplyDelete“Seven Cygnets” would make for a great children’s story or even an adult one. :)
For the moment I don’t wish to think about “the snappers” and “the circle of life” or how cruel life can be. :(
[*note* you’re going to have to learn to scuba dive or just hold your breath underwater for a few minutes so you can go under and take photos of paddling feet such as the cygnets]
*another note* don’t mean to pester to where you feel a need to respond…but like it when you do. Just making up for lost time as I have for a few years wanted to make comment on the photo’s you and Amy take/share while on vacation, but never did. Hugs to Amy.
S in CA.
Thanks for commenting.
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