NEWS
I occasionalLy have new information on techniques and equipment that I will share with you here.
George Often posts emails with examples of current projects in his LEPPPHotoSpam. Here are some of those posts. We’ll start with the 3-month series I captured on the Trumpeter swan cygnets at the Sunriver nature center and observatory (www.snco.org) at sunriver oregon. The cygnets shown here hatched on 6/24/2020.
Gus, Grace, and Three New Trumpeter Swans
Post 1 (6/24/2020)
About 22 miles south of our home in Bend is the community of Sunriver. The Sunriver Nature Center, with its small lake (Aspen Lake), is year-round host to a pair of trumpeter swans named Grace and Gus. Because of previous injuries in the wild, they cannot fly; both were brought to Aspen Lake to live in a safe place. Grace and Gus formed a bond and last year they hatched and raised three cygnets that were successfully released into the wild population at a lake in southeast Oregon. This is a great thing as trumpeters were once severely threatened; in 1933 fewer than 70 trumpeters were known to exist in the lower 48 states. However, a population of several thousand trumpeters was discovered in the Copper River region of Alaska. With the help of conservationists, they have made an excellent comeback in the lower 48, but they are still rare in Oregon.
Grace and Gus have nested again this year and hatched three more cygnets on their little island in Aspen Lake. I was luckily present on the lakeshore with the long telephoto as Grace rose off the nest to reveal the first two youngsters. The next day there were three cygnets. On the third day I documented all three cygnets being taken out on the lake for feeding instructions. The first step is always the hardest, as the cygnets had to maneuver a drop-off to get to the water; I caught each one in the learning process. Now this new family has free run of the lake with its abundant food supply and the safety of the island, and I enjoyed documenting their progress.
The reveal! Grace stands up and shows that two cygnets have hatched and two eggs are showing.
The next day a third cygnet is seen (behind her left leg). The fourth egg did not hatch.
The first cygnet takes a header (face plant) and then rolls into the water.
Nicely done! Cygnet #2 seems to fly off the ledge.
All's well that ends well and everyone is afloat.
Grace on the nest as Gus stands by. The nest is located on an island in Aspen Lake.
The family heads to the lake to feed. The third cygnet is behind Gus and out of the picture. They are at the edge of what seems like a cliff.
Cygnet #1 is now at mom’s side in the lake and it's time for #2 to take the plunge.
Cygnet #3 makes the jump and lands on its back in the water. All three are now ready to begin in the feeding instruction.