Thursday 22 October 2015

Day 295 2015: Swan's way...

Day 295: ...this day and every day

Well after two days straight of madonna lilies, I figured it would be not quite right to end up with a third day of madonna lilies (...although...). It was another long day at work ahead and so about 4.15pm, off I went for a bit of a walk, a bit of fresh air and, truth be told, a chance to go and get my umbrella out of the car since a storm was heading our way. (Ah, the academic's life is really quite mundane.)

It also meant going by the lake, which I figured was going to mean birds, and well, that was OK I thought...

From a distance, I spotted one of the swans moving around. Nice, I thought, but a bit far off for any detailed study...

From a distance...

I clicked and turned to look for perhaps the red-backed wrens, or swallows...or even the crow. Couple of egrets also, so some variety. Behind my back I heard an almighty flapping sound and, for the first time in my amateurly photographical life...I was being charged by a swan! Or so it seemed. 

Until s/he settled. And for the next twenty minutes or so I was entranced by the preening, the dancing, the pouting, the drinking...the many faces of the beautiful swan. 


Dam buster...

Splash down

Phew, made it

Wait, let me try that again

Ahem...

Yes, re-settled

Ah, that was an effort...

Well?

My preferred side...

Long day into the night

The swan and the pelican

We've had our ducklings, we have our ibis, the other 105 species abound, but today's swan just owned the pond.


[Camera : Canon EOS60D, 75-300mm, 4.26pm-4.38pm]