Mute Swans Courting Gallery

Life on a Swan Pond

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Puffins With Sand eels

Whenever I hear the whistle of swans flying overhead it brings a smile to my face.
How can such a large bird be so graceful, let alone fly?

As with most birds, springtime is a great time to watch swans and their courtship can be seen in early April. These Mute Swans are on a small quiet lake. Swans are creatures of habit and they have probably used this lake for many years. They usually mate for life, so they may even be the same swans that I watched last year on this lake.

I came across these swans a week ago (at start of April) while out photographing another bird, and noticed that they were both "dabbling" in the water together. So I took a risk and hung around for an hour. My wait wasn't in vain and for thirty minutes I watched their elegant courtship and dancing above the water.

In a few weeks (late April) she will lay her eggs on their huge nest and hopefully I can bring you an update on the cygnets then.