Sweeping Swans

Geese aren't the only ones flying the skies these days (see my Gathering Geese post).  The other morning I was outside feeding the cats and glanced up to see three white birds in the sky.  They were much quieter than the clamorous geese, but still made more discreet sounds as they flew past.  I'm pretty sure they were swans.

Photo by Duncan Shaw   Source:  Science Photo Library (if you didn't already guess!)

Of course, by the time I ran in to get my camera they were gone.  I have yet to get a photo of the geese either because by the time I hear them, grab my camera and get out the door, it's too late.

The swans I saw were most likely Mute Swans, an introduced species that is native to Europe and Asia.  No, mute swans are not actually mute.  They are just less noisy than some other species of swans.  One of the noises they are most famous for is the sound of their wings as they fly, which I think is what I heard that made me notice them.  The largest member of the duck family, swans are basically vegetarians, feeding on both land and in the water, but may eat small critters caught up in the aquatic plants they eat.  This is a familiar sight of feeding swans.

Source:  Wikipedia

Not very pretty, but that's the only way they can get at those underwater goodies.  This is the much more familiar and preferred view!

Source:  Wikipedia

As lovely and graceful as swans are, they also have a reputation of being fairly aggressive.  They are very territorial and won't hesitate to go after an intruder.

Just like the ballet Swan Lake, there are also black swans, mainly found in Australia and New Zealand.  But they're not entirely black.  They have white flight feathers which, as the name suggests, are only seen when they are in flight.

Source:  Wikipedia

The other southern hemisphere swan found only in South America, aptly called the black-necked swan, just has a black neck.

Source:  Wikipedia

Swans can have a wing span of over nine feet and weigh over 30 pounds.  Getting off the ground and landing takes some skill, and some swans have had more practice than others.  Graceful is not the word I would use in some cases, especially for those landing on ice.  For videos, click here and here.