A particular family of Trumpeter Swans has captured our hearts and admiration throughout the summer here in Anchorage. It has been joyful to watch the cygnets grow from small, grey, downy hatchlings to nearly adult size. There are five of them, and I confess to counting them each time we see them to be sure they're all present.
I've learned there are several collective noun names for a group of swans. A regatta. A bevy or bank. A lamentation, a royal, a squadron, or a sounder. A fanfare, a tranquility, a team, or a whiteness. A school. Or the easiest - a flock. Animal group names are fascinating and often funny.
I'm not the only swan enthusiast enjoying this lovely family. Each time I visit, I get to see the happiness they bring to others as well. They often stop people in their tracks, and those of us who've been watching for months exchange stories of our sightings and comment on the current size of the cygnets.
If past seasons are any indication, they will be here for weeks to come. This birdwatcher will be keeping an eye out right up until they migrate south.
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| June |
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| June |
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| mid-July |
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| mid-July |
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| late July |
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| late July |
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August
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| August again - preening adult in fog and mist |
