Two Mute Swans In Flight (Wings Down)
I was standing on top of a tall sand dune overlooking a nature preserve. I saw these two Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) off in the distance heading straight for me and the open ocean. Nothing like being in the right place at the right time.
Watching a swan take off is like watching an old 737 take off. You think it'll never get airborne before it runs out of runway. This swan took off at the beginning of this very long water channel and didn't run out of runway. Although the swan looks airborne in this photo, it's really not. The swan hit the water with its feet 10 or 12 more times, each time thrashing the water with its feet and flapping its wings to gain altitude and become airborne. Always fun to watch.