Swans on ice in Vienna

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Swans on ice in Vienna

December 11, 2016 by Mike Powell

Today I had some free time to wander about in the Donau-Auen National Park in Vienna, Austria.I am visiting Vienna for a few days on a business trip and decided that I did not want to fight the crowds at the numerous Christmas markets in the city.

It was cool and windy and I did not see as much wildlife as I did during a visit there last April. However I did manage to spot a family of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor). Two of them—one adult and one adolescent—landed on ice that had formed on the small lake and they struggled to walk across the slippery surface to reach open water. The adult, who was bright white in color, moved with much more confidence than the dusky-colored youngster, who moved in a cautious and tentative way. I suspect that it was the first time that the young swan had encountered ice.

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Travel, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon SX50, Cygnus olor, Donau-Auen National Park, Mute Swan, swan, Vienna Austria | 11 Comments

11 Responses

on December 11, 2016 at 6:24 pm | Reply Alesia Piol

Cool pics love them!
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- on December 11, 2016 at 11:12 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Alesia.
on December 11, 2016 at 7:11 pm | Reply Dan Antion

The like button isn’t loading, but I do like these. Especially the bottoms one. The reflections have a soft feel to them.
- on December 11, 2016 at 11:13 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan. I took the shots from a pretty good distance away and the area where there was ice was in the shade, which probably accounts for the softness of the feel of the photos.
on December 11, 2016 at 8:47 pm | Reply Bird Animal Nature and Wildlife Photography

vowww..wonderful sir
- on December 11, 2016 at 11:14 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. It was wonderful to have the chance to see these beautiful birds.
on December 12, 2016 at 1:45 pm | Reply Bonnie Marshall

Saved your post to view again and again. Thinking…the last should be in a gallery. Smiles…
- on December 12, 2016 at 11:55 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks so much for your kind words, Bonnie. I was drawn to the last image too, though I initially hesitated to post it, because one of the swans is looking away from the camera. I like the sense of action that it conveys, so I decided to post it anyways.
  - on December 13, 2016 at 3:00 am Bonnie Marshall
    
    Sometimes, Mike, I feel ambivalent about posting a poem…then find out readers like it quite a bit…never know what meaning chords we strike in viewers. Grateful you posted it. Smiles…
on December 18, 2016 at 1:07 pm | Reply Ginny Alfano

Beautiful photo’s, Mike. I, too, like the last one best. The confident adult with his head held high and the youngster with head down calculating every step in this new environment.

I have to tell you how ironic your post was. I saw the title “Swans on Ice in Vienna”, and wondered “how could you possibly know?” I didn’t realize that you were in Austria until I read your post. You see, I live in the Town of Vienna in northern NY and was just down at the local lake watching the Tundra Swans walking on the ice!!!

Merry Christmas, Mike, and thank you for making my mundane life so much more beautiful with your posts. It’s a wonderful gift to all of us that see them.
- on December 19, 2016 at 6:03 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks for your beautiful words, Ginny. Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.