In honour of Father's Day I've selected photos from the last couple of days that focus on the father-to-be, the cob. The pen usually goes off to feed around 7:00 a.m. During that time the cob is kept busy patrolling the area and gathering material to add to the nest. The water level has really risen in the last couple of weeks! The swans have shored up the nest and pushed it up to the top of their little scrap of land.
Photo Bomb! I was so not ready for this! I knew the egret was just down from the swan on her nest, and in fact I'd already taken several shots of it. I was focussing in on the swan when the egret flashed behind the nest. The combination of slight fog and not-so-lightning-fast reflexes left me with a softer focus than I would have liked. However the composition was exceptional, so this shot ended up being a keeper!
Danger lurks around every corner for the nesting swans! If the nest survives wind, rain, (and even snow this year), and rising water, there are predators to consider. I found this turtle this morning trying to dig its way under the chain link fence to get into the wetland nesting area. I did have a friendly word with the harbour master, suggesting that the turtle might be much happier in the waters on the other side of the road, away from the nest area.
