Birds For this moment, I've waited 2 months - Updated with More Pics

Yeats

All-Pro
Location
New Jersey, USA
Name
Chris
Since March, when I saw her and her mate constructing a nest, I've waited for this moment. I've stopped by at least 3 or 4 times a week, taken pictures, picked up garbage, and generally kept an eye on things. I didn't get a chance to come by for the last 4 days, and finally - today - I did.

Edit 5/23 - I finally processed my favorite images. I visited twice that day, as the sun was sporadically peeking thru the clouds.

Two weeks earlier, this was the expectant momma...

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swan with eggs DSCF1615 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

The, finally, the babies...

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swan and cygnets DSCF2336 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2340 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2355 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan cygnets DSCF2413 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2426 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2442 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2444 by Yeatsy, on Flickr

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swan and cygnets DSCF2367 by Yeatsy, on Flickr
 
Chris,

This brought back memories of many years at a local nature reserve monitoring Mute Swan nests. I would suggest that given the attitude of the mother she is preening herself. In my experience she will preen in a prolonged and exaggerated manner for some hours, during which time the young will copy her (although some of those appear to be more intent on sleeping). By copying the mother's actions the young will actually spread preen oil on their own down such that when she takes them into the water for a few minutes some 24 hours after hatching they should hopefully all float and not get waterlogged. She will keep a careful eye on them and if any get waterlogged it's back to the nest to repeat the lesson.

I've also observed that during that first 24 hours when they stay in the nest both parents will often pick repeatedly at the edge of the nest, again the young copy these actions. I've concluded that in so doing they obtain some insect food, flies and the like, by accident. Once they take to the water the parents will be able to drag weed up for them to feed on, although the young will still obtain some insect food from off the surface of the water.

So many behaviours are learned by copying the actions of the parents.

Barrie
 
So very wonderful!
I just went through a similar experience with a nest of four roadrunners.While cutting through a thicket of six foot tall cactus,I discovered the nest in the center.The young we're so well disguised that I thought the nest was empty.They were already huge when I first found them and stayed a week,then vanished.I tried to photograph them from two feet away and they just blended in with the sticks.I have Roadrunners running around my property daily.Now I'll have more!
 
Chris,

This brought back memories of many years at a local nature reserve monitoring Mute Swan nests. I would suggest that given the attitude of the mother she is preening herself. In my experience she will preen in a prolonged and exaggerated manner for some hours, during which time the young will copy her (although some of those appear to be more intent on sleeping). By copying the mother's actions the young will actually spread preen oil on their own down such that when she takes them into the water for a few minutes some 24 hours after hatching they should hopefully all float and not get waterlogged. She will keep a careful eye on them and if any get waterlogged it's back to the nest to repeat the lesson.

I've also observed that during that first 24 hours when they stay in the nest both parents will often pick repeatedly at the edge of the nest, again the young copy these actions. I've concluded that in so doing they obtain some insect food, flies and the like, by accident. Once they take to the water the parents will be able to drag weed up for them to feed on, although the young will still obtain some insect food from off the surface of the water.

So many behaviours are learned by copying the actions of the parents.

Barrie

Y'know, Barrie, I did see at one point the mother was preening, and one of the cygnets came out of the water, settled down next to her, and commenced preening, also.
 
Y'know, Barrie, I did see at one point the mother was preening, and one of the cygnets came out of the water, settled down next to her, and commenced preening, also.

One or two of your new images show preening activity by the young, so they seem to have learnt that important lesson. The adult female will now moult and become flightless for 5-6 weeks, then when she has completed her moult the roles will reverse to some extent, she will take over defence of the territory and the male will conduct his moult rendering him flightless. He will be spending more time with the young during that period. During the incubation the female will have lost up to 20% of her body weight, so it's very important she is able to feed well over the next few days to regain her condition.

Barrie
 
So very wonderful!
I just went through a similar experience with a nest of four roadrunners.While cutting through a thicket of six foot tall cactus,I discovered the nest in the center.The young we're so well disguised that I thought the nest was empty.They were already huge when I first found them and stayed a week,then vanished.I tried to photograph them from two feet away and they just blended in with the sticks.I have Roadrunners running around my property daily.Now I'll have more!

How cool! :cool: We want pics!
 
One or two of your new images show preening activity by the young, so they seem to have learnt that important lesson. The adult female will now moult and become flightless for 5-6 weeks, then when she has completed her moult the roles will reverse to some extent, she will take over defence of the territory and the male will conduct his moult rendering him flightless. He will be spending more time with the young during that period. During the incubation the female will have lost up to 20% of her body weight, so it's very important she is able to feed well over the next few days to regain her condition.

Barrie

Love getting all this info from you... stuff I don't read on Wikipedia.
 
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