Ten Days Later -- Swans!

In my 'Cabin Fever' post of January 2nd, I mentioned I had been wanting to see the swans near Atlantic since November, but they hadn't shown up yet. The December 31st post by Cass County Conservation set the date for their annual 'Soirée With The Swans' as January 16 - cancelled if the swans hadn't shown up by then.

I kept checking their Facebook page, as well as KJAN Radio website, for updates. Then last week I noticed they had changed the date for the soirée from the 16th to the 9th. The swans were back! No way would we go on the 9th when so many other people might be there. Monday Bud talked to a woman at the Conservation office to find out the best time(s) for viewing. She advised early morning or late afternoon and said she had counted 102 swans on the pond that morning. We looked at the weather forecast and decided to go today. But yesterday afternoon Bud said, "We're not doing anything, why don't we just go now?" 

After checking out the other three ponds, which are technically old rock quarries, we found a spot to park at lake #4 and did some reconnoitering of the area. There were many, many Canada geese in the water and on the ice, but no swans. Then the geese began leaving. The ones that stayed left the water and stood around on the ice. I asked Bud what time it was - "4:18". "They'll surely be showing up soon." At 4:28 I heard some trumpeting bugle calls. They were flying right over the car - too fast to get out and take a photo.

But there they are - seven swans a swimming - the first to land.

I remember when seeing a few Canada geese in SW Iowa was a big deal. Now they are almost a nuisance. 

I have become very blasé about them - except for the resident pair and their babies on our pond, of course.

The sun was right in my face so I walked around trying to get it more to my right. That's when I saw this big surprise.

I've never seen evidence of beaver working on a tree this large. What were they going to do with it if they did get it gnawed off? Build a lodge in the quarry?

The East Nishnabotna River does flow not far beyond those mounds in the background, but???

Interestingly, there was a trail camera strapped to the tree.

A close up of their hard work.

Those mares' tails clouds foretell more than swans coming in.

Every few minutes, another group of swans would land.

The fewest I counted, two; the most, thirteen.

Splashdown!

Regardless of the direction they came from, they always moved around so they landed into the sun.

Much ado about something? 

The swans seem as territorial as the geese on our little home pond.

I thought it was interesting that while the Canada geese seemed to know they had to vacate the area, the ducks did not have to.

They swam right along with the swans.

Nine more coming in from the west.

And circling to land.

 A baker's dozen - the largest number I saw in one group.

So graceful, so beautiful in the sun's rays.

4:50 p.m. and the last photo I took of any formation.

Which reminded me of when my children were young and I would take them to the "blue lights" parking area at the end of one of the runways at the Des Moines Airport to watch the planes land.

I think they would also have loved watching the swans land.

Even though we had to wait longer than expected, I am so glad we got to go and see the swans. It was a nice afternoon for a little road trip. I had mentioned while there that it looked like there was going to be a good chance for some beautiful sunset photos and Bud asked if I wanted to stay. But I said "no". It would be dark before we got home anyway. I didn't want to wait any later to leave. Besides, I could still take sunset pictures on the way home.

And I did. (With more to come.....)