No ugly ducklings here.
On our walk Wednesday we saw plenty of birds, since we were walking through a nature reserve where birds from Russia and Scandinavia spend the winter months.
But most of the cormorants and herons were shy, not coming near our cameras. The swans, however, weren't the least bit reserved. They swam toward us, despite the presence of two large dogs. One in particular met us at a bridge, and hissed and hissed at us, threatening us with bodily harm if we came near. (He wasn't really joking, either—swans have been known to inflict harm.) He lifted his wings to make himself bigger, and his long neck enlarged as he literally swelled with anger.
At another point, we walked past a flock of bird watchers, their high-powered cameras aimed at the lake. The swans seemed to know they were being photographed. One after another they lifted themselves off the water, standing almost on the surface, then beat their wings and lifted off. It was almost synchronized, choreographed much to the photographers' delight. (I was talking to one, and her husband yelled at her to stop talking and get the photo.)
Some more shots below. Click and embiggen.
This swan enlarges his neck to make us think he's big and bad.
Houston, we have achieved lift off.
Show off.
