Our swan parents have been encouraging the remaining two cygnets to leave the nest and spread their wings. One fledged over a week ago and the above cygnet is still here.
The adults continue to gently persuade her to leave and assure her that she’s ready. It’s very moving to watch. The cygnet is now eight months old and it’s the first time we have seen one stay with its parents for so long. It’s also the first time in more than ten years we have had a very cold Winter.
Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,
with love from Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5 – 1/640 s – ISO 200, f/5 – 1/320 s – ISO 100 and f/5.6 – 1/250 s – ISO 200.
I am deeply honoured and delighted to be interviewed by the lovely Bella from ThoughtsnLivesBlog about my photography and poetry for her Let’s Get Inspired Series. Part 2 has just been published and focuses on my poetry and publication journey. Part 1 of the interview was published last week and if you missed it you can read it here.
Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #137: Soft
Tranature 
Always moving to see young ones move on. We have the same feeling when we see red squirrels venture from their nest, a hole in a tree. At first they are skittish, hurrying back whenever there is a loud sound. But the day comes when they leave for good, and that day will come for the cygnet.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Laurie, it must be lovely to see the squirrels find their feet in the big wide world 💚 xxx
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Poignant! Out they come, creeping cautiously, and then, boom, something scares them and back they scurry into their hole. Eventually, though, they all leave.
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They are so serene and graceful xenia, quite beautiful – and of course soft! The poor little cygnet doesn’t want to leave home. Keep us posted on him/her please!
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Tina, the parents have been very gentle in their encouragement so far. We will keep you posted on what happens next 💚 xxx
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That close up of the cygnet? Wonderful photo 🙂 Also, an education. Cygnet is a new word for me 🙂
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Aimer 💛
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Enjoy your graceful, beautiful, and soft swan images. 🙂
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Thank you kindly dear Amy, so glad you enjoy seeing our swan family too 💗 xxx
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The swans seem like such devoted parents. I guess they are making space for the next brood. ❤
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Thank you kindly dear Eliza, it will soon be time for them to make a new nest and they have already started bonding again 💚
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Ah, she doesn’t want to leave home 💖 They’ve been wonderful parents. Lovely images, Xenia 🤗💚xxx
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cathy, she’s a lovely cygnet and her parents have done a wonderful job raising her 💚 Enjoy the rest of your evening and much love from our house to yours 🤗💕🐕 xxx
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Thank you, Xenia 🤗 Much love to you all 💚🐕💚xxx
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Thank you Cathy 🤗💚💫 xxx
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It won’t be long and the swans will be thinking of nesting again. Beautiful birds
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Thank you kindly dear Karina, it sure looks that way. This is their first brood and they’ve done a wonderful job raising the cygnets 💚 xxx
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🙂
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Beautiful birds they are – soft beauty in their white dresses. I think the cygnet will soon have to leave.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Ann-Christine, it probably won’t be long until she spreads her wings too 💛
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♥
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Those photos are magic! That cygnet will have to leave the security of home soon. Another generation will be on the way and then what? We used to have a place on a lake with Common Loons and each year we would watch the babies arrive and they travelled on their parents backs until ready to paddle on their own. Then they were flying. The parents would leave by October and they left the young ones behind. But soon enough they too took flight. Apparently they send a few years away before coming to a lake inland to have their families.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Anne 💗 It’s interesting to see how the loons leave their offspring behind whilst they fly off themselves. The swans hang on to their nesting site and encourage their offspring to leave. The cygnets then join a flock of juveniles for a few years before they are ready to find a mate and start a family themselves 💚 xxx
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Beautiful captures, Xenia! I feel my heart tugging now for the cygnet wanting to stay. I’ve watched the last Osprey chick in a nest do this, longer than normal, had me worried. And, finally one day, gone! 🙂 Hope and prayers your gal’s instinct kicks in, and she’s off to live her life safely and healthy! 😊
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Donna and lovely to hear the Osprey chick fledged safely in the end. Hope and Prayers the cygnet will soon fledge safely too 💜🙏 xxx
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Isn’t it fitting that something as regal and graceful as a swan would be so demure when the time comes to take on the world?
Such a lovely post this is, Xenia. Have a good week.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Dries. It’s interesting to see the different personalities among the cygnets and the one still here has always been the most gentle of the three 💛
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BEAUTIFUL!!!
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Thank you kindly dear John! 💛
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Ah! This is the swan family from your haiku!
My favourite image is the one with the 2 swans circling each other – such a beautiful dance they are doing.
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Thank you kindly dear Ju-Lyn, it is the same swan family 💛 xxx
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This is an amazing softness 🙂
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Thank you kindly dear Hammad 😊
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Great shots Xenia.
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Thank you kindly dear Rupali 💖
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