On Saturday morning I took a ride over to Whitesbog in the New Jersey Pinelands, to see if there were any tundra swans about. There were.
The swans overwinter in in New Jersey, vacationing on the flooded cranberry bogs. As you can see on this day the bogs are mostly frozen over, but I guess when you're from the tundra, this is balmy weather.
The swans are usually very skittish, taking off at the first sign of humans (or at least me, make what you will of that fact). But this time they did not rush away as I approached. Perhaps there weren't many places to go. As you can see, they are crowded around the few small openings in the ice, which grant access to underwater plants such as red-root, which makeup their diet.
Hey who stepped in it!
The swans were not the only ones hanging out at the waterholes. This one looks slightly bemused at the little guys hanging about.
Uh-oh, something's got their attention. It's a dog! As I was snapping away two women and one black lab drove up and got out at the far corner of the bog. The geese had been surprisingly tolerant of me, and a couple of other observers, but the dog was another matter altogether.
They didn't hang around for much longer after that.
The swans are usually very skittish, taking off at the first sign of humans (or at least me, make what you will of that fact). But this time they did not rush away as I approached. Perhaps there weren't many places to go. As you can see, they are crowded around the few small openings in the ice, which grant access to underwater plants such as red-root, which makeup their diet.
Hey who stepped in it!
The swans were not the only ones hanging out at the waterholes. This one looks slightly bemused at the little guys hanging about.
Uh-oh, something's got their attention. It's a dog! As I was snapping away two women and one black lab drove up and got out at the far corner of the bog. The geese had been surprisingly tolerant of me, and a couple of other observers, but the dog was another matter altogether.
They didn't hang around for much longer after that.
Now this is more familiar. (As mentioned above, this is how I usually see them, leaving.)
7 comments:
I am so jealous of seeing these beauties in the winter...all of our lakes and rivers are frozen solid! So nice to see blue water and gorgeous white swans again (thanks for my glimpse into spring)!
I love that you're writing some, Steve, along with posting your pics!
Thanks for inviting me along on this pre-Barnegat Light adventure for Tundras, btw.
(snark!)
@ Laura: Hmm ... if I remember correctly, you blew me off for some other guy. Something about liking to hear his nature stories.
@ Tammy: Thanks, although I have a hard time to think spring with all that ice.
Look like common or garden variety "Ugly Ducklings" to me! That head on take off is a doozy
I really like the photo of the swan coming straight at the camera. The ones in the background have funny expressions as well.
Glad they had some open water. When I was there a couple weeks ago it was frozen solid. Nice photos!
They are beautiful, especially the one in flight. They all seem to have such character. You got a lot of great shots.
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