Tuesday 30 June 2020

Wild Bird Wednesday 414 - Black Swan

I went for an afternoon walk around Jells Park today, and encountered this Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) maintaining its feathers and generally being grumpy at passing coots.

Although common, I always like seeing these swans close up as I can't help but think how shocking they must have been to the first Europeans who saw them. This bird scientific name means 'swans in mourning", which (as it says in one favourite books) is a reference to its 'colour rather than state of mind'!  (Those of you who have come to understand my sense of humour will also understand that I find that rather funny!)










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28 comments:

  1. A handsome bird indeed, and probably the most ubiquitous species we saw in Australia.

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  2. One of the prettiest among swans.
    Thanks for sharing.
    All the best!

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  3. Beautiful! I'm accustomed to seeing the mute swans with the opposite plumage.

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  4. A to niespodzianka! Pewnie uciekł z jakiegoś parku!
    Piękny z bliska. Ja widziałam tylko z daleka parkę uciekinierów. Gratuluję!

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  5. Hari OM
    there is no doubting a swan has elegance unparalelled! YAM xx

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  6. I was startled the first time I saw a black swan in England years ago.

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  7. By far the most elegant of swans.

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  8. How elegant! Terrific photos!

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  9. Interesting-- I was just reading about the serious turn as USA COVID-19 cases have spiked so suddenly and unexpectedly. It was referred to as a "Black Swan" event. (Had to look it up in dictionary). The avian form is much more beautiful, although also unexpected.

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  10. Arizona is a having a Black Swan event. I am now a participant, thanks in part to the people who didn't wear masks at the store. It's a nasty bug. I'd much rather see your Black Swan out in the open:)

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  11. I would be one of the Europeans who was under the impression the black swan is a rumour or a myth, not a reality. It's beautiful. (And I now have a new and useful concept in my vocabulary with the black swan event.)

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  12. Hi! Very beautiful swan!

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  13. Very nice photographs, Stewart!

    Our city has four Black Swans in the downtown lake. It's great each year to be able to observe and photograph the nesting process and new cygnets.

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  14. Hi Stewart!!!...Beautiful images ... Congratulations ..

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  15. Isn’t that red beak quite cheery! Just a splash of colour for the black.

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  16. I have never seen one in the wild, Stewart. You are truly a lucky man capturing it's beauty...:)JP

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  17. I love black swans but I have never seen them here. I guess all the one I have seen though in Africa and the UK are not wild. Keep well Diane

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  18. He’s a beauty, we visited Lakeland Florida where the central lake has several black swans , gifted by someone from Australia. So , I guess wild, but not. Native. I was fascinated by them.

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  19. Hi Stewart, beautiful photos of the black swan. Have a nice weekend. Greetings Caroline

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  20. Hi Stewart. You would laugh to see birders over here driving to tick Black Swans. There's an escapee or two that get mentioned on WhatsApp twitcher's groups. Truly, that's how daft it has become.

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  21. Hello Stewart
    what a contrast, the deep black of the swan with the red scraper and the background ... perfect photos
    Regards Frank

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  22. Okay, I think I need more information than ... you feel like a wolf howling at the moon. As you might have figured out, once we moved, I have no birds to take pictures of here. They are here, but the trees are so thick that, though I can hear them, I can't see them, thus no pictures. I haven't traveled much either first because my daughter has been ill, but now with the C19 ... pretty much stuck at home. You would think that leaves me lots of time to do things like come to WBW, but the time just seems to fly by and I end my day wondering what I had done. Don't get old, Stewart ... it is a hoot, but there are some definite disadvantages :) Thanks for stopping by my post ... it is always good to hear from you.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  23. Oh, and I forgot to mention ... Love Black Swans (and your pictures of them) and love your big old Owl ... aren't they just the most awesome birds?

    Andrea

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