Oh it’s hard being an adolescent! This is two-year-old Tristan’s first serious molt and he’s one cranky little swan. The normally sleek youngster works harder every day to preen himself back into shape, and instead, becomes even shaggier than before with feathers sticking out at every angle. His neck has “ring around the collar,” his tail is frightfully frayed, and what’s left of his wing feathers won’t quite cover his “elbows” (note highly technical terminology).

He’ll be back up to a swan’s full 25,000 feathers, and his pride restored by Fall. In the meantime, watch out swans! With only brief interludes of courting Isolde, he’s dealing with his discomfort by pecking and snapping at all who venture too close.