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Birds > Anseriformes > Mute Swan Cygnus olor

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You probably don’t need to introduce the mute swan to anyone in Poland, as this bird occurs so widely, which is perhaps due to its high fertility (5-9 eggs/chicks) and the fact it has got used to close contacts with humans. It should be remembered that it is a large bird, and approaching it, especially when it takes care of its young or sits on eggs, could be quite dangerous. The swan has an impressive wingspan exceeding 2.3 meters, with a weight up to 15 kilograms! Because of their size swans always take off and land on water, and the direction of their take-offs is always against the wind. A flying bird species that was heavier than the swan, sadly extinct in our country, was the great bustard. They hadn’t managed to get used to changes in the surrounding them environment. Speaking of swans, one can’t avoid thinking of feeding them. Let’s remember however that bread has a devastating effect both on the birds and on their environment. Many a time in winter have I seen swans sitting among piles of bread! I wrote about the results of such „feeding” in the text about mallards – I invite you to read it.
Last minute news 09/2013
Finally I managed to take a few interesting photos of this huge and commonly seen bird. Swans appeared at the sunrise with their young, in the morning fog. Unfortunately there was too little light to capture that moment. But thanks to the fact that they were not moving around, I could peacefully wait until the lighting conditions improved and this time I was successful. First, early in the morning, and next, in a little more intense light, during their take-off and landing. Fortunately the light was in such an amount that times were short enough to technically enable me to take photos, but the color of light was still warm, and I think the effect is stunning. That’s why the gallery has been radically reconstructed, and some of older photos have been removed from the website. Hopefully one day all species will be presented in such a quality, especially in dynamic photos, and documentary pictures won’t have their place at tomkalfoto.pl anymore. Who knows, maybe in 10 or 15 years’ time ? Taking my time reserves into consideration, it will be possible.
Last minute news 08/2014
I added some photos showing the mute swan's morning toilet in the red light of a rising sun.
Last minute news - 04/2017
While I was waiting for shovelers and pochards, I managed to take a few interesting pictures of a swan. The gallery has been remodeled. In September 2018, I was late for the largest wave of bird passes in Mikoszewo. But in Mikoszewo there are always birds and with a bit of luck with light, it can be always possible to take interesting photos of species that already have been photographed before. This time, apart from the bar-tailed godwit and the spotted redshank, I managed to take more interesting photos of the mute swan. On the coast, not far away there were dozens mute swans. I also made a recording of the sounds of mute swans. The gallery after two years has been rebuilt and goes to the news.

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