Update on swans

On a recent trip along the valley road, I ended my trip near one of my favourite spots. The couple who own this pond also own this beautiful swan.

The pond attracts other migrating and wannabe nesters - Canada geese, various ducks and wading birds such as great blue herons searching for frogs, fish and other tasty tidbits for a meal, always found in healthy ponds.

But this swan is a male, and his mate (for life) is nesting herself. Sir Swan is not in favour of sharing is home, or even his area and swims determined - wings raised behind him to make him appear larger - threatening this Canada goose and also me across the road trying to capture an image.

Two years ago a little later in the spring, there were five or six goslings and when I stopped to snap a photo, Sir Swan climbed out of the pond. He marched, hissing all the way, across a length of lawn to the side of the road and clambered up the bank to the road, making me hotfoot it back to the safety of the car!

The geese know they can fly away quickly but stay carefully on the bank because the swan is a strong swimmer. So the pair of geese pace the bank's edge as Sir Swan floats back and forth in front of them daring them to put a webbed toe into the water.

It's a standoff- but lots of fun.

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Once again my computer and the internet accesshave stopped my posting another photo with this particular blog. Internet access has been so spotty that I'm only able to post once in a while otherwise I'm kicked off before I can get a word out. Most frustrating.

However a new provider has been contacted and hopefully I'll be able to post with some regularity before too long.

Thank you for stopping by and please accept my apologies for not having a daily post for the past few months... For those of you enjoying a long holiday weekend beginning today - have a super one.

Swans on the bay

Yesterday I had to pick up some batteries for my dogs Invisible Fence collars. On my way home from atop the Niagara Escarpment where it juts into Georgian Bay just north of the small town of Meaford, I was looking at the water. The lighthouse at the edge of Meaford harbour was visible and there floating in front of it were two lovely swans.

I had to stop and get a photograph. I've learned that swans need open water, and further along the shore there was a group of gulls and ducks that were hanging out on an iceberg that had attached itself to some rocks just below the surface. I guess they benefit from open water too, probably gathering minnows that swim under the edge of the ice that builds along the shoreline.

It was one of those misty early teasing days that makes you think spring might just be around the corner, with temperatures well above freezing. Lots of hawks on top of telephone poles, leaving the minute my car drew to a halt, or flying in distant fields as well.

We're going to get snow again and below zero temps by the weekend, but for now I'm enjoying the mild weather, even if it makes for sloppy walking with the dogs and reveals some very unsightly stuff that I should clean up before it freezes again. A good day for preliminary tidying outdoors if it doesn't rain too hard.

Hope you have a great day where ever you are, and you get to see something as majestic as these swans today as well.

Update on the swan that went walkabout

A few weeks ago I wrote about the swan who walked along a county road at dusk - about half a mile from the Beaver River - a long walk on a cold winter afternoon by any stretch. A young woman arrived at my door - apparently I have the reputation of being something of a rescuer. She was worried because the swan wouldn't stay off the road - obviously it was easier for it to walk on the road than in the deep snow. What to do?

This incident could have ended sadly but instead had a happy ending with a local fellow who has a pair of swans coming to the rescue.

He kept the swan overnight in his garage, let it rest from its long walk and fed it, then released it onto the river - as seen in this photograph.

The swan happily goes onto the river accompanied by the resident pair.

Yesterday I called to find out what has happened to the swan. You can imagine my delight to learn the following:

Since that day - the swan has been joined by a Canada goose. They have become buddies. The goose has a damaged wing - so the pair of earthbound birds are natural friends I guess.

The story is that when the gentleman who has temporarily adopted the bird fills the feeder in the morning, the swan and her (it has been referred to as a female) friend the goose are first to arrive for breakfast. They are followed by six ducks that live on the river as well. Then the resident swans are the final morning feeders. Of course I've been told that there is never any surety that the order will remain the same and the adopting couple have had a whole lot of pleasure watching who comes to the feeder throughout the day.

Here the swan reaches for some cracked corn in the feeder in the snow - happily settled into her new home.

My thanks go out to the owners of "The Karat Klub" wholesale distributors of fine jewelry who have big hearts and a made a lost swan feel welcome enough to find a new friend and a new home.

Some true stories just make me feel so great - almost too good to be true - don't you agree?

Swan dive images