Peggy C's photos with the keyword: Mute Swans

of Mute Swans .. captured in a part of the mating ritual .. Lake Morton . Florida USA .. from the Archives © All Rights Reserved

- the Swan roundup happened this morning at 7:30am EDT - I had been checking the City Calendar so I wouldn't miss it - it wasn't posted on the calendar ! - sigh - so, did the next best thing - after finding out about it, had breakfast and headed to the lake - the pens are very large - but I think the swans think it is 'too much togetherness' - every so often, one will nip at another - tomorrow, they get weighed - checked for anything that might be wrong - given shots if needed - and have a micro chip put in - if they don't have one - most of the photos today were of the Wood Storks - most were around the pens - like guards with feathers collage done in: www.picmonkey.com © All Rights Reserved

.. in the old bench on the left [the gentleman brought a newspaper to sit on ] .. the birds have really messed up those benches .. but .. on the right - a new bench .. wonder how long before .. the birds claim this as their bench, too .. just can't teach them to clean up after themselves ! edited in: www.picmonkey.com © All Rights Reserved

" Swans were reported to be on the city's lakes as early as 1923. Most likely, those early swans had been purchased as pets by lake front residents, who later released them on the lakes. By 1954 the last of these swans and their descendants had died, having fallen prey to people, pet dogs, and/or alligators. A Lakeland resident, Mrs Robert Pickardt who had enjoyed the swans and mourned their passing, wrote to Queen Elizabeth of England and inquired about purchasing a pair of swans from the royal flock on the Thames River. A representative of the royal family replied that the Queen would donate a pair of swans to Lakeland if the city would pay the cost of capturing and shipping the swans to the US. The money was raised for shipping the swans, and two white mute swans were released on Lake Morton on February 9, 1957. Their descendants continue to grace Lake Morton and other lakes throughout the city. " - taken from the website City Of Lakeland edited in: www.picmonkey.com © All Rights Reserved

several shooters taking advantage of a nice day (before the rains are to come) .. waterfowl all over .. still ID-ing some of them! -no cropping © All rights reserved