Swans in the Flood
Lagoon levels appear to be fluctuating by about six inches, and the QCYC swan nest was probably flooded this morning. As of Sunday afternoon, the parents appear to be sitting dejected on the QCYC dock.
Where’s Waldo?
Mute swans snooze the afternoon away on the snowy ice off of the boardwalk towards Centre Island.
The Nose Knows
Up close and personal with a mute swan near Doughnut Island. Anything but shy, this fellow eventually swam inside the minimum focus distance of the lens, making further photography impossible.
Mute Portrait
Dramatic lighting falls upon a mute swan as it swims through the intermittent shadows of late March twilight.
Show of Force
A male mute swan spreads his wings outside the camera frame after successfully chasing off another pair of swans from his chosen nesting territory in the lagoon. In contrast, this adolescent’s wings are still only partially developed.
Business End
A mute swan, seen from an unusual angle, forages on the bottom of the still-desolate lagoon near the edge of what remains of the late spring icepack. Warmer temperatures should complete iceout over the next few days.
Approaching Storm
A wounded mute swan sits on the ice pack of the outer harbour, waiting as a winter storm approaches.
Moonrise Swans
Illuminated by the light of the rising full moon, mute swans sleep on black ice halfway across the outer harbour to the Leslie St. Spit.
Bad Hair Day
Mute swan juveniles begin to look a bit ratty as their fur gives way to feathers, just like these Canada geese juveniles.
Salad Bar
A mute swan feeds her cygnets by pulling up vegetable matter from the depths, like a floating salad bar.
Size Differential
A mute swan and her cygnet near the Toronto Island Marina show just how much size difference there is between children and parents.
Nest Watching II
A mute swan mother sits on a prime nesting site on Long Pond in 2007, rendered uninhabitable in 2008 due to high water levels.
Minimum Focus Distance
A mute swan tests the minimum focus distance of the Canon EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS lens, proving that telephoto lenses can be too long for bird photography.
Watchful Eye
A nesting mute swan keeps absolute focus on the photographer interloper, eyes locked and never straying from the lens.