Tundra Swans in Flight

Many weeks ago I photographed a pair of Tundra Swans afloat on the marsh waters in one of the larger marshes at Mustatatuck. Apparently, I spooked them even though I was absolutely no where near them.

Regardless of why they took flight, they did. I captured this image after the sun had gone in and cloud cover had moved in so the light was very undesirable. Couple that with the Swans who took flight with a distant woods as the background. Not much composition to work with until I decided these ethereal creatures were too beautiful not to share. So I dropped the image in my software in an attempt to salvage it. I hope you like it. I tried everything. This seemed to be the only real end result. I admit it, I love sepia tones. Please indulge me once again. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. I'm going to watch Beyonce now on the halftime show. ENJOY!

Tundra Swans, Frozen Reichart Lake

Five Tundra Swans, that I've been able to see so far this winter, have taken up residence at Mustatatuck, as mentioned in an earlier post. On Saturday, on a quick drive down to the refuge, I found the Swans floating or standing on the frozen ice right in the middle of Reichart Lake. And obviously with a 200mm lens, this is as good an image, albeit cropped, that I could get. A good deal of Reichart was frozen from a cold snap we had had a few days prior. Mustatatuck is the perfect winter home for these Swans what with the marshes, lakes and ponds and better yet, lots of agricultural fields surrounding the refuge where the Swans can feed.

Amazingly these Tundra Swans summer during the breeding season all along the coastline of North America, hence the name Tundra Swans. They build large round nests along the edge of the water and generally lay 3-5 large cream colored eggs. One of the North American Migratory Flyways goes right through (traveling north to south) southcentral Indiana. Many Tundra Swans fly much farther South, but apparently this flock has decided Mustatatuck is their winter home. Lucky me!!! Have I mentioned lately I'm turning into a bonafide birder.

Oddly, Tundra Swans sound very much like Canadian Geese. And speaking of which, these six Canadian Geese were walking, or more like sliding, along the ice at Reichart just a few yards from the Swans.

It was so funny watching them. If one of a pair of Geese didn't keep up with his partner, and they got very far away, he would lift up like he was taking off and fly a few feet or a yard or two, and then come right back down. And all the way he's slipping and sliding on the ice, and in the case of the Goose on the right falling through the ice. It was hysterical to watch them. I plan to visit the refuge again this winter. Perhaps I'll get better images or perhaps not. I was just thankful on this visit that the Swans hadn't flown to the fields to feed and it was a beautiful sunny day. And on a more pressing matter, the New Year is almost upon us. Are you ready? ENJOY!

Tundra Swans, Into the Light

I look toward the light today in an effort to fight my way out of the darkness of this deadly weekend. I pray for all of the victims and I pray for America. ENJOY!

Tundra Swans, Mustatatuck

Yesterday I drove to Mustatatuck in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Tundra Swans that had returned to the refuge earlier in the week. Apparently, they overwintered there last year.

No sight of the Swans on my initial visit, I left and ran some errands. I returned late in the afternoon hoping to catch a glimpse of the Swans before going home. On my "one more time around the marshes and then I'm heading home" I discovered the Swans had flown back in to the marsh. Off in the distance they were floating side by side.

Unfortunately, no amount of prompting my 200 mm lens was going to give me a decent image. I had read Tundra Swans aren't particularly skittish, so I figured the images I had gotten would be it for the day. Then suddenly up the Swans lifted, out of the water flying away from me. Then they turned and flew right in front of me and then turned again and flew back in front of me before flying off to a restricted marsh area in the northern section of Mustatatuck. But fly right in front of me they did. Sorry the light and the photos are not better. Regardless, they are beautiful creatures. ENJOY!