will focus
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Traverse City, Michigan, USA
I needed a double reaction of Cool & InformativeThis Mute Swan is coiled like a rattlesnake, ready to strike. I watched this bird assume this posture and paddle at full speed, chase two Trumpeter Swans off the lake this morning. It was on a mission and didn't back down until they were gone.
The Mutes, identified by their orange bills, are an invasive species but far outnumber their indigenous black billed cousins, the Trumpeters. If you see a swan sailing across the lake in this configuration keep watching because the chances are that there is about to be a confrontation of some kind.
it must simply be a mutation. Not as bad asHmmmm... good pickup! Mabye it was just a genetic thing? Looking back at all my pelican pictures, they've all got blue/grey legs and feet. A quick google talks about blue/grey or brown/grey feet for the Australian Pelican.
He's some earlier ones. This one from 2011
View attachment 308794
and more recently (which I may have posted earlier).
View attachment 308795
Hope that its wing is OK, Todd. It looks damaged!
This Mute Swan is coiled like a rattlesnake, ready to strike. I watched this bird assume this posture and paddle at full speed, chase two Trumpeter Swans off the lake this morning. It was on a mission and didn't back down until they were gone.
The Mutes, identified by their orange bills, are an invasive species but far outnumber their indigenous black billed cousins, the Trumpeters. If you see a swan sailing across the lake in this configuration keep watching because the chances are that there is about to be a confrontation of some kind.
What's wrong with your camera? It is a very competent camera and together with the Leica 100-400mm it can deliver excellent pictures....... There were plenty of folks with much nicer cameras than mine photographing this bird.
Russ
Speckled Pigeons? Handsome certainly. They seem to be sat on some kind of brick/concrete; are they common urban birds in South Africa?