Dr Jiulin Teng's logo
NatureYvelines

Two Mute Swan Families & Cygnets [May 2021]

In May 2021, I followed two mute swan couples during the incubation and hatching of their cygnets. Here are two galleries that record this, with highlights being the cygnets.
Published by Dr Jiulin Teng on 01 Aug 2021 · Updated on 01 Aug 2021
Keywords: cygnetlakemute-swannature
Hero Image for Two Mute Swan Families & Cygnets [May 2021]
In May 2021, I followed closely two mute swan couples in their breeding season. The first couple laid their eggs in late March. Three out of four eggs hatched in early May. Unfortunately, one cygnet disappeared in less than a week, and the other two disappeared together about a week later. I suspect that the heron family sharing the same pond, which apparently took interest in the cygnets (not captured in photos, though flyovers during the day were frequent), snatched them.
The second couple mated in late April, which I was fortunate to have encountered and recorded (see my previous gallery). The eggs hatched in June.
In this post, I share photos of both swan families. Highlights are definitely the cygnets who are in this world no more.

Video

Before we go to the galleries, here is a video of the first mute swan family:

Gallery: Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021]

Yvelines
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #1
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #2
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #3
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #4
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #5
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #6
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #7
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #8
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #9
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #10
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #11
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #12
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #13
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #14
Mute Swan Family 1 [May 2021] #15

Gallery: Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021]

Yvelines
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #1
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #2
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #3
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #4
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #5
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #6
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #7
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #8
Mute Swan Family 2 [May 2021] #9

Recent Posts in Nature

Cover for post Senonches [Nov 2022]
Nature
Senonches [Nov 2022]
06 Jun 2023 · This album contains a few shots from the forest of Senonches in November 2022. It was the last time that I visited it before leaving for China the same week.
Cover for post Night [Oct 2022]
Nature
Night [Oct 2022]
02 Jun 2023 · This album contains a few night shots taken in October 2022 in Chartres. Some of them were taken from my window, while others in a field nearby. The highlight is the starry sky in late October.
Cover for post Senonches [Aug 2022]
Nature
Senonches [Aug 2022]
11 Apr 2023 · This album contains select photos from the forest of Senonches in August 2022. The forest in the middle of the summer is the highlight.
Cover for post Senonches [July 2022]
Nature
Senonches [July 2022]
29 Mar 2023 · This album contains photos from the forest of Senonches in July 2022.