Weekend with the Swans

A great few mornings this weekend with my local pair of Mute Swans Flash and Snow nesting on my local lake I have decided to focus on there filming at the weekend and let them have there piece in the week. I wanted to get a few shots of them on the nest at sunrise and as you can see below they allow me to there nest and are very relaxed due to the amount of years I have been filming/photographing them.

My first shot was a panorama of Flash the male guarding the nest while Snow fed in the reed beds and I really love the light and the focus on the nest in the center and hopefully I can get more panoramas as the eggs hatch into lovely little cygnets and as last year the family failed it would be great to see them have a success this year.

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Low shot of Flash on the nest at sunrise

 As the sun shined on the nest Flash began calling Snow back to the nest to take over his shift and during the change over they let me show there clutch of 3 egg's so far and by next weekend I should no how many Cygnets we could have. As Swans can lay up to 12 eggs it could be a big family. I am expecting the eggs to hatch at the end of April but as I am away at the end of April I may miss it which would be a shame after watching them from building there new nest. My gut is telling me the 18th/19th is when they will hatch which would be perfect as I am not away till a few days later so fingers crossed I can film them hatching and taking there first swim on the lake.

Flash on the water as sunrises over the farmland behind allowing a lovely orange background

3 eggs

Thanks for reading

Mike

PLEASE IF YOU SEE A NESTING SWAN DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE AS THEY WILL DEFEND THERE AND NEST AS I HAVE TRIED FILMING OTHER PAIRS AND NONE HAVE BEEN FRIENDLY AND FLASH AND SNOW ARE ALSO AGGRESSIVE TO ANYONE GOING NEAR THERE NEST. WITH ME AND MY BROTHER WHO HAVE BEEN FILMING THEM OVER MANY YEARS EVEN AT NIGHT OVER THE WINTER. WE HAVE GAINED THERE TRUST AND THEY HAVE ACCEPTED US AS A NON THREAT. IF THEY EVER SHOW ANY AGRESSION OR SIGNS OF WANTING THERE OWN SPACE WE BACK OFF AND ALLOW THEM THERE SPACE.