March 22nd, 2008
another visit with the swans
Last week, we paid another visit to the Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) that often hang out in the reach of open water below the dam in the causeway at Narrows Locks near Westport, Ontario. We’ve been visiting them a few times each winter for the past 3 or 4 years. In fact, we may even stop by to see if they’re around this morning as we’ll be passing through the area on our way to Kingston today.
Anyhow, that day (March 16th), I shot a kind of fun movie clip of the swans doing just what they’re known for — trumpeting. I had just finished shooting a little movie clip of a single swan swimming across the open water. We thought there was just the one swan around, but then two more swans came around a point of land, flying low, and landed beside the lone swan. The lone swan raised its wings out of the water, perhaps in some gesture signifying excitement, a welcome, or maybe even hostility (I’m guessing it was the swan version of a welcome). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capture any of this as my camera was busy saving the previous movie clip of the single swan swimming (wouldn’t ya know it!!). However, after the swans landed, I did manage to shoot this clip. Be sure to turn up your sound as the swans do some honking, interrupted by the occasional “trumpet” for which they’re named. I also shot another clip of them feeding in the shallow water beside the dam — they swam over to where I was standing and dabbled around in the water under the ledge of snow along the shore. I’ve left the sound track on the clip — a lot of annoying wind sound — because it might give you some idea of how windy and cold it is at this spot (VERY!!). It’s almost unbearably cold — my hands and face start to feel quick-frozen after just a couple of minutes.
If we see anything of interest while out and about today, I’ll be sure to take a few photos and post them soon.
Tags: Trumpeter Swans, Cygnus buccinator