weekly photo challenges place

Haiku: New Life

pen on her nest with three cygnets

their stars sparkle
by night above the river
new life

pen on her nest with three cygnets

pen on her nest with five cygnets

We are delighted to let you know that today, a total of seven cygnets have hatched. A very big thank you to all of you who have been keeping your fingers crossed in your kind comments on The Love between Birds.

With love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

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Haibun: The Love between Birds

a swan (cob) patrolling the river

It has been four weeks now, since his pen laid her eggs. While she is on the nest he keeps her safe, patrolling the river. From one bridge to the next, he sees that all is well. He greets familiar faces above the buttercups and shepherd’s purse, the fresh blades of grass. He looks so much better this year, more confident. People stroll along the river bank, to see how he is doing. We all want him to do well. Last year’s eggs never hatched. We are hoping that this year, things will be better.

temple blossoms
seagulls flock to guard
a sleeping swan

seagulls watching over a sleeping swan (cob) on an outgoing tide

You can see images of his pen (female swan) on the nest in an earlier post ‘Nesting Swan‘. She raised 62 cygnets over the last nine years with her previous cob (male swan), before he passed away.

Update: on 17th May 2018 seven cygnets hatched – you can see the first images in our post New Life.

With love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

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