Saturday 13 February 2010

The swan family make a visit

Since I don't watch for them continually, but visit Franklin every two or three days to see if they're about, I don't know how often they now visit the Franklin foreshore. They have often been absent, presumably because they have a need to be elsewhere on the river. This evening though, they were around, and all looking very well. Scooter is the smaller, lighter and fluffier cygnet. His single-legged swimming appears to work quite well, and I didn't see any bullying from either his parents or siblings. Maybe he's learnt to "fit in".


Scooter, rear, and one of his siblings - 13th February 2010
Scooter - 13th February 2010
Sccoter, top right, and family - 13th February 2010
One of Sccoter's siblings, showing maturing plumage - 13th February 2010

4 comments:

Denis Wilson said...

"Scooter" is definitely delayed in his development, compared to the others. You can see a big patch of down on his lower back where the others are now fully feathered.
Good to see he is still going, anyway.
Denis

~Cat~ said...

Hi There,

I seem to have stumbled across your blog while in search of an old photo of the Lighthouse Jetty on Bruny Island and I just wanted to say how stunning your photo's are!!

Beautiful!

Catherine

Mark said...

Thanks cat, glad you like them. I assume you found the photo I had linked from my blog entry on the Labillardiere Peninsula.

Mark said...

Hi Denis, yes it seems that basically his wings are much smaller, and the others have covered their backs with their wings. I must say that the details of their physiology are complex - I'm never quite sure how they've folded up their wings and legs.