Early Morning Swan Feed

Today is Saturday and the annual Indian Lake wide garage sale is happening today. Everyone involved is up early getting their tables all ready for the parade of cars, minivans, golf carts, bikes, strollers and pedestrians. I went through my usual routine feeding the dog, my birds and the wild birds that visit our feeder each day before opening for business. As I stood out on the deck a family of swans swam close by and I spoke to them. They quickly started my way expecting to be fed. So I went inside and got out the bread I keep just for such an occasion and went downstairs to the dock hoping they'd be waiting. They had gone down the bay a short distance but came hurriedly back when they saw me.

I had never been so close to such tiny swans before. Three grey and one white little swan swam along side their elegant and very large parents. The little ones were angelic. The male adult came up very close and hissed at me so he got fed first. The babies were in the middle and the mommy stayed just to one side but a little behind the babies. She let the kids eat first. Not so with dad! He was hungry and vocal about it. When I'd run out of bread I noticed some had dropped on the dock and I bent down to push it into the water. Both adults came at me hissing. They are very protective of their babies and rightly so.

I feel honored to have had those few moments with them this morning. I'll blink and those tiny birds will be gangly teens.