Bolam Lake ~ Oct 2021 ~ part 2

Posted in Adventures, autumn, birds, Fuji, FujiX-T2, landscape, nature, photography, swans, Uncategorized, wildlifeTagged , , , , , , , ,

Following on from part 1, we’re still photographing swans, because , well you can’t have enough magnificent swan pictures really. 🙂

The familiar pose with neck curved back and wings half raised, known as busking, is a threat display. Both feet are paddled in unison during this display, resulting in a more jerky movement. The swans may also use the busking posture for wind-assisted transportation over several hundred meters, so-called windsurfing.

windsurfer

The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds. In several studies from Great Britain, males (known as cobs) were found to average from about 10.6 to 11.87 kg (23.4 to 26.2 lb), with a weight range of 9.2–14.3 kg (20–32 lb) while the slightly smaller females (known as pens) averaged about 8.5 to 9.67 kg (18.7 to 21.3 lb), with a weight range of 7.6–10.6 kg (17–23 lb). The most familiar sound associated with mute swans is the vibrant throbbing of the wings in flight which is unique to the species, and can be heard from a range of 1 to 2 km (0.6 to 1 mi), indicating its value as a contact sound between birds in flight.

lift off

We often come across other people walking around the lake and now and again I can sneak in a people picture, in this case a little people picture’

girls

and two couples, people and swans,

two pairs

but rarely do we come across people in or on the lake, so this lot gave us a nice surprise.

The Paddle Family

they were having a grand time!

there’s always one

and swans are not the only birds at the lake though these are in a dead tree.

Dead Tree Birds

And that’s about it for Bolam Lake. Next time we’re popping around the corner to revisit St.Andrews Church so stay tooned for that!

47 thoughts on “Bolam Lake ~ Oct 2021 ~ part 2”

  7. The little girls made me smile, as did the swans. The paddleboarders worried me a bit, as I’m sure you’re supposed to be standing. Possibly it’s that the thought of doing that to my knees makes me feel ill.

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  15. We always have just one pair of swans on the local river. I suspect they have been around a long while, and have mated for life. They are wary of Ollie if he gets close to the bank, or into the river near them. But they ignore me.
    Best wishes, Pete.

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