Swans Through the Seasons

News from the Nest
Sub Title:Mama and Papa Swan

Mama had her bill tucked under a wing, enjoying a siesta, while Papa hovered nearby, with an occasional reassuring snort to signify that all was under control.

As she slept peacefully, I also hovered … hoping she might move enough so I could be sure that she still had the 2 eggs from yesterday (meaning the raccoons hadn’t been successful in their attempts to nab one). The quiet time spent in observation paid off when Mama Swan got up, revealing THREE beautiful blue-gray eggs all in a row. Way to go, swans!! Yeaaaaaay!

An added bonus followed - Mama decided to give her eggs a turn while she was up. Turning the eggs ensures that they’ll have equal warmth and air circulation during incubation.

Now our Mama’s a star! You can see her in action on YouTube at the following URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnPPYN1iaMg

Notice how she tries to settle back onto her eggs but can’t quite adjust – she nudges her eggs again and later on found the perfect position. She often has to try several times and even ends up facing in a different direction - part of a Mother Swan’s patience.

And of course, proud Papa pops up in a cameo role during the sequence!

Mama and Her 3 Eggs