Eight Swans-a-Swimming

Since we're on the subject of birds, I wanted to share with you the beautiful sight that greets me now as I walk into work.

My building's property-management company rents swans to keep geese away from the pond outside. Obviously I don't support renting animals, but it is the lesser of two evils. I wouldn't want geese shot or poisoned because they're mussying up the lawn.

So two swans live at my building in the warmer weather. When I returned from Memorial Day weekend yesterday, I discovered that the female swan had recently given birth to six cute babies. The family was swimming in the pond as I made my way across the enclosed bridge above it.

It's so neat to watch the mom teach her little ones. Yesterday when a co-worker and I went out to take pictures, five of the babies waddled into the water where their parents were. But one stayed behind on some rocks. One of the parents walked into the rocks, got down low and waddled into the water. The baby followed.

This morning a piece of seaweed was hanging off the mother's bill. She wiggled her tail feathers, and a baby swam up, pulled the seaweed and ate it.

Two women stood on the lower, outside bridge and took pictures. Men passed by and stared and smiled at the babies.

In general, people really do care about animals. Most just haven't made the connection between animals and the animal products they consume.