On another darkly dank afternoon, after visiting Milford on Sea Pharmacy we returned home via Keyhaven.
From Saltgrass Lane we watched geese, gulls, and other waterfowl fishing,
flying, and floating fast on the tidal current. The colour picture in the first gallery and the first two in the next are Jackie’s.
Walkers, dogs, and cyclists exercised at safe distances. The Assistant Photographer provided the first image of this set.
Swans tend to gather under the bridge linking the lane with the spit.
Today they were accompanied by
cygnets, no longer Hans Andersen’s Ugly Ducklings, but yet to shed their cinnamon plumage and acquire an orange beak.
This one is not too big to avoid mother’s sharp reprimand.
Emma, West Sussex recently wondered why swans have such long necks.
Today’s observations suggest that it is to enable them to reach the river bed.
Here I am photographing the swans.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s scrumptious sausages in red wine; creamy mashed potatoes; crunchy carrots and cauliflower, with firm Brussels sprouts. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Shiraz.
Thank you for these photo’s especially the feathered ones. Miss seeing them first hand.
Thanks a lot, Gary.
I know the truth. Swans have long necks because it’s the closest they can get to Texas and Lone Star beer inlongneck bottles!
🙂 I trust Emma will appreciate this, Linda. Thanks very much
Aah, now I see – thank you, Linda.
But now the next question – how do people manage when drinking from Longneck bottles?
Straws?! 🙂
🙂
😀 😀 😀
You are having darkly dark days while we are experiencing hotly hot ones. Roll on, autumn.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Yvonne
Black and white geese and gulls willingly posed for fabulous black and white photos, it seems. Now that I know that swans are reaching for the river bed, the next question is, why do they need to do that? Is their food found there?
P.S. As much as my husband likes his Malbec, I appreciate Shiraz of all red wines.
Thanks very much, Dolly. Apart from aquatic vegetation they do eat small fish, frogs, and worms. Both the wines suit me. 🙂
You are very welcome, Derrick. Swans eat frogs? They are elegant and stylish, but I have never expected them to be so French.
🙂 – probably tetards (can’t type the circumflex)
😻 Even tadpoles sound more elegant in French.
🙂
I love all the swan photos, and you photographing them, too. 😀
Thanks very much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Still looking rather dreary in your part of the world.
We’ve got another week of it, Sheree. Thank you very much
Shame!
I think you’ve confirmed the answer you hinted at in your original post, Derrick https://derrickjknight.com/2021/01/06/fishing-the-shallows/comment-page-1/#comment-169439
Swans are fantastically graceful, so although quite fitting for a duck to ‘duck and dive’ for it’s feed, the swan’s long neck allows them to be altogether more elegant. They are beautiful – lovely pictures, too… even pretty when squabbling!
🙂 Thanks very much, Emma – especially for giving me the idea.
As to drinking from those Longnecks — no straws are necessary. You just grab the bottle, around the neck or otherwise, and enjoy. I suppose you could pour the beer into a glass, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that happen.
🙂
I think swans have long necks so they can wear lots of sparkly necklaces to important social functions! 😉 😛
Gorgeous swan, and other birdies, photos, Derrick and Jackie!
Wonderful Derrick photo, Jackie!
HUGS!!!
🦢 🦢 🦢
🙂
😉
Thank you so much from ux both, Carolyn. Good suggestion 🙂 X
Among a first class set of pictures, I think that I enjoyed the cyclist the most.
🙂 That’s understandable, Tootlepedal. Thanks very much
Swans and more swans, love these photos Derrick, thank you…
And thanks to you, Ivor
I love the swan studies!!
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Having just read your last, I’m inclined to wonder the same thing about alpacas.
With them it is certainly not for elegance 🙂 Thanks very much, Susan
Wonderful swan pictures.
Thanks very much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Thank you for the swans. They are so beautiful.
And than you for your regular reading and commenting, Jill
Wow! Stunning photographs from both of you! That close up of the swans 🦢 Simply beautiful!
Thanks very much from us both, Ribana
Your answer is a reasonable as any! The closeups of the swan’s head and neck are beautiful.
Thank you very much, Cynthia
Exquisite swan pictures! We don’t have swans in Maine, and I always enjoy seeing pictures of them on other blogs.
Thanks very much, Laurie. I will remember that
Apart from the beautiful photographs of swans in general, I have found it interesting to see the colouration of the cygnets – it puts ‘The Ugly Duckling’ into perspective.
It does, Anne. Thank you very much
You match the beautiful plumage of the swans, Derrick. I especially love the airborne photo.. of gulls?
Thanks very much from us both, Judy
your weather is like ours, dull and dreary. lovely images for today, Derrick! love the swans! 🙂 🙂
Thank you very much, Lola
I enjoyed all your photos, Derrick and Jackie! Swans are such elegant birds, even the cygnets.
Thank you very much from us both, Lavinia
A lovely post. The swans are like a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to see you in action, too.
Thank you very much, JoAnna
Those are excellent photographs. Swans are the giraffes of the waters. I wonder if Darwin had something to say about them too.
All I could find is that he likened their meat to venison mixed with wild duck. Thanks very much, Uma.
I love swans. I think you’re right about the usefulness of their long necks. But I like to think of their necks as being essential to their beauty.
They certainly are, Nicki. Thanks very much
Hello Derrick! Beautiful photos as always, and you are right about why swans have long necks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22171805/ 🙂
Thank you so much, Sam, for your appreciation and for this definitive link, which also provided me with a new word – benthic 🙂
A wonderful word, indeed! My undergraduate zoology lecture notes flashed before my eyes.
I suppose the underwater world will be zoned according to he neck length of the birds eating the vegetation. Superb photographs of the swan’s neck under the water. I’ve never seen any like them before.
Thanks very much, John. I trust you have seen the link in Sam’s comment
There was a joke my children liked when they were small
Q. Why do giraffes have long necks?
A. Because their feet smell.
But don’t know one for swans.
Delicious-sounding comfort food, by the way.
I like that. Thanks a lot, Libre
Lovely captures. Swans are such models. I miss them during lock down.
Thank you very much, Rupali. We are lucky
Excellent picture of the swan’s head under water. I’ve never seen one like that. I must try to find somewhere where they swim in clear water.
Thanks very much, Quercus. This stretch is tidal.
IT looked interesting. Ours is all still and green. 🙂
Wonderful photo of you.
Thank you very much, Byung
My pleasure.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a brown and white swan before. I thought they all were only white. My day is not lost! My mother-n-law always used to remind me, “No day is lost if you learn something new.” Thanks for saving my day!
And thank you, Jan. All the cygnets lose their brownness when fully grown.
Ah-hah! I didn’t know that either. One more day saved!! Thank you again. <3
X
Gorgeous swans! 😍
Thanks very much, Louise
I think I may have already responded to this post but I’m not positive. When we are in Hawaii-usually in February but not this year-we watch the swans in the lagoons of hotels. They’re so graceful and gorgeous and so so mean! 😕 But they are wonderful to watch and your photography brings me back to Hawaii.
Thank you very much, Pam