The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge.
We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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December 2019
Pacific Northwest
We’re not seeing as many swans as usual here this winter. No idea why. Even at Otto’s Marsh, which is usually a vortex of swans, from 30-60 much of the winter. This year there have been 8-12 on any given day. No grey youngsters this year at all, which is different too. Over on the mainland there are a fair number, and youngsters too, but I have no way of telling whether numbers there are typical. There will be a swan count later in January.
Still, even these few here are lovely, and I like stop to watch them when I can. This day it wasn’t too stormy, just some light rain, and the swans looked relaxed, intermittently grazing or cruising around the pond.
The swans were in pretty tight pairs. Two here, two there, another two behind the reeds....
Not totally peaceful though. There are obviously swan dynamics I’m oblivious to. At one point two pairs got into a bit of a scuffle.
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It looks like one member of a pair chased down one from another pair. Lots of wing flapping, which may translate as “I’m bigger than you” or “Let’s shake this off” or ?
After the scuffle they all continued their cruising the pond. In pairs.
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Even with not so many swans here this year, I’m very happy this small group appears to have settled in for the winter. Perhaps with fewer of them, the vegetation will last longer for foraging. In previous years they’ve vacated the pond by mid-late January, moving to fields, possibly after exhausting the wetland food supply. I’ll keep an eye out as winter progresses.
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Rain and wind here in the PNW islands as the next front rolls through. Temps cooler, in the 40s.
What’s up in nature in your area today?
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