Mute Swan standing in shallow water with both wings raised and spread behind its body, mid-flap after bathing. White plumage with textured neck feathers, orange bill with black knob. Dark feet visible in calm gray water, green shoreline blurred in background. Cape Island, Cape May, NJ. September, 24, 2024

Every waterfowl bath seems to go the same way: dunk, preen, stretch, flap. If you see a Mute Swan working through its ablutions, just wait. The finale is coming.
#BirdOfTheDay #WingsOpenNotFlying #MUSW #birding

A young, very pale swan floats in ripples on a pond, head dipped.

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Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), 19th July 2024
es: Cisne Vulgar, fr: Cygne Tuberculé
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 + 1.4x teleconverter @ 495mm, 1/400s, f/10, ISO 400
#Birds #MuteSwan #MUSW #Ducks #BirdOfTheDay #HopeIsTheThingWithFeathers #DescribeYourImages

A white swan pauses in admiring its own rippled reflection in a pond to glance towards the camera.

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Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), 30th October 2022
es: Cisne Vulgar, fr: Cygne Tuberculé
Canon EOS Rebel T8i, Canon 70-300mm @ 300mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 250
#Birds #MuteSwan #MUSW #Ducks #HopeIsTheThingWithFeathers #DescribeYourImages