Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus)
From our perch by a beaver pond on the Two Hundred Acre Wood, the two floating tumps way off in the distance looked like melting ice in the low light, but something about the scene and the two snowy white shapes didn't seem right. When one fluffy tump righted itself and looked over at us with a gimlet eye, we were delighted.
Holarctic swans occasionally put in an appearance in our part of the world, but it doesn't happen often, and we had never seen them in the highlands with our own eyes. The yellow eye lores (or patches) at the base of the bills were not visible in twilight, but these beautiful birds were "whistlers", and not members of the smaller Bewick's Swan tribe. Our moment by the pond was definitely what I like to call a "hallelujah moment".
The captured images would have been much clearer if I could have gotten closer to the swans or had a much longer lens, so after some thought, I have decided to find and put aside the lucre for a longer telephoto, one veritable cannon of a lens. There is a Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 super-telephoto in my future, and I could dance (or rather lurch about) just thinking about it. Who needs new spring clothes anyway?
6 comments:
We are at a time in our lives when we realize what is truly important. Lovely swans and I can just imagine your delight!
I occasionally read some birding blogs and much mention is made of "digiscoping," maybe a super telephoto for birding? It sails over my head but how lovely to see these beautiful swans keeping a sharp eye on you
I'm so happy for you...and my favorite photos were the ones with droplets of water caught below the beak...action shots! Gorgeous birds, so stately.
this happened on earth, but came to us, straight out of the cosmos or universe.
one of my very most favorites.
What a delightful and treasured sighting - and pictures!!!
I love those swans! They're so beautiful!
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