Black Swan and Cygnets

[wigz]

On my drive back from Yeppoon last week, I stopped for a break at Lake Alford in Gympie. There are always plenty of birds there.

As I drove into the car park, I caught a glimpse of a bird with plumes backlit by the sun. I thought it was an egret, parked the car, grabbed the camera, mounted the big lens and walked back to where I had seen it, only to find no sign of the bird, but a lady with a camera walking there.

She told me she had walked down to photograph a pair of swans with cygnets and had scared off a spoonbill with quite spectacular plumes. I was rather annoyed, but of course she had every right to be there - I was just a bit too late.

I walked around the park to see if it had landed anywhere nearby but couldn't find it, so I made do with shots of the swans.

At 1 pm the light wasn't the best but that's the time I arrived there after leaving Yeppoon nearly seven hours earlier.

The swan was leading the young ones into the shade of a tree. Framed a bit tightly but they kept walking towards me and getting too close. I could add some space at the top but haven't bothered yet.

[Grumpy John]

Great shot Alan, let's hope all the little'uns make it through to to adulthood. There are a lot of predators out there.

[wigz]

Thanks John. There must have been four or five pairs of swans with young around the lakes there, so some should survive.

[Grumpy John]

Here's hoping.

[avkomp]

nice capture of happy family. bit too cold down here yet for the waterbirds to be breeding. soon hopefully

[wigz]

Thanks Stephen.

[dolina]

Alan, the swan is exquisite!

[wigz]

Thank you