Hellvellyn's Views
Lake District & North East England Photography
Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is Britain's most common swan and found in Europe. Mute swans are pure white with long S shaped necks and is distinguished by it's yellow/orange beak with a black knob at the base of the beak. The base is also black.
Although appearing placid and graceful birds, they can become very aggressively territorial, particularly during the breeding season. Having said that, they are commonly sociable and communal birds.
Mute Swans & Cygnets (Cygnus olor) Nesting
These mute swans (Cygnus olor) were photographed on their crude nest built on a floating reed bed. They seemed unaffected by the traffic on the busy road just feet away. I was stood on the pavement beside the road to take these pictures.
Mute Swan Cygnets (Cygnus Olor)
These pictures of mute swan cygnets (Cygnus olor) were taken on Killingworth Lake, North Tyneside 09.06.08.
I returned a week later to find the cygnets had grown & partly feeding themselves. This cheeky cygnet helps himself to a piece of bread from the lakeshore.
I didn't get back to Killingworth Lake until the following Tuesday; the 1st of July. It was mid afternoon & the swans & cygnets were resting at the lakeshore. They were soon disturbed by several excited children returning from school, eagre to see them & feed them bread.
A final shot of the day with a parent to show how the cygnets are growing.
The next pictures were taken a week later on 08.07.08. The swans had taken the cygnets to the smaller of the 2 lakes, over a busy road!
