Mute Swan close-up

These close-up portraits of Mute Swan were taken last night at Tresemple Pool.  They were taken with a D800 and 600mm F4.  Each file started life at 40 megs! If you are lucky enough to own a 27inch Mac, the first two images should fill the screen!

Happy couple at Walmsley

A fairly easy target to photo, one might say, but capturing the ideal angle is easier said than done. This cob and pen were constantly moving, touching, courting, caressing, turning, spinning, an attempt at mating, etc etc. but she wasn't having any of it. The above photo shows the closest that he got. My choice of five photos best shows the display.

The complete performance lasted about five minutes but consummation wasn't witnessed ! I'm assuming that they were actually a cob and pen...who knows in this day and age.