White Wings

Compare these photos to those posted in the first Tundra Swan entry taken in bright sunlight. While, in some, there was a little bit too much fog, for the most part I prefer the softness of these images. Can you believe these are the smallest of the swans?!

Swans migrate to the same traditional places year after year and stop over in the same locations along the migration route. This allows them to teach their young the route. Young from previous years will often meet up with the parents and form "super families," allowing them to dominate the best feeding areas.

Is this not the picture of grace? They have been known to fly at an altitude of 28,000 feet, almost 5-1/2 miles up! And they don't hold the record. Some birds fly even higher, notably those that cross the Himalayan mountain range. You wouldn't want to run into one of those with a jet.

Swans fly in v-formations or in a slightly offset straight line when in smaller numbers.  Oh, to have a longer lens. But, I would have to mortgage my house to get one. No kidding. You wouldn't believe how expensive a fast 500 mm lens f/4.0 is - $10.5K! 

I only saw four birds fly that day.  Take-offs and landings are at the top of my list. Only thing is, if they are content with where they are, it can be hours before they think about flying. For their own safety at night, they may spend the night well out in the Bay away from predators, so they may fly toward evening. I can only hope that a few will want to cross to the other side of the pond during the day and will fly instead of swim.  That is what these swans were doing.

Tundra Swans were formerly known as Whistling Swans. Whistling apparently refers to their voice rather than the sound of their wings in flight. Their voice, however, could not be described as a whistle by any stretch of the imagination. A flute-like sound with the volume of a French horn, maybe. I wish you could hear how musical they sound.