Hello,
Thanks so much for the additional information. I placed food on the platform this morning, and both swans came right over to eat from it, although the female didn't climb onto it as usual. I had placed some hay on the dock a few days ago, and today they moved it onto the edge of lake at the shore. The female then sat on it and is now napping! This pair migrated to my lake in late February, although they may have come from another local lake or pond. I live in Virginia, and typically the swans stay through the winter, so I am hopeful they will stay! The water that I back to sometimes freezes over in winter, but the swans in the past have flown in, or walked on the ice, to my home. I break the ice and put food down at the shoreline so they have water. Should these swans stay, is there anything additionally I need to do for them since this is their first winter without their parents?
Thanks for everything!
Pat