After my walk at Circle B Bar Reserve in mid-March I stopped by Lake Morton near downtown Lakeland before heading home. I was hoping to see some baby swans and I got lucky. They were sitting close to the road when I parked and got out of my car. The babies plopped down for a few minutes and I was hoping they would head back towards the lake.
Nope, they decided the grass looked greener across the street so off they went. I stopped traffic as they walked over. Most people drive slow through here because critters are always crossing the street and hang out on the road but you never know.
They started eating the grass in the yard across the street from the lake.
I walked over to the lake and found a couple napping on a nest next to the lake.
Most of the winter ducks had left but there were a few coots and ring necked ducks hanging around.
I found another family swimming along the edge of the lake. This couple had 4 babies.
A quick video of the family swimming together. The 4th baby comes swimming up with Dad at the end.
They eventually came up on the grass and started feeding on it.
As I walked back to my car I could see a bald eagle sitting up on the cross on top of the church and snapped the above.
I stopped by Lake Morton near downtown Lakeland on the way home. This male black necked swan had already started a family. I saw him walking over to the nest and his mate, a mute swan, left. He checked the eggs out and then sat on them while she went out for a walk (or to look for a snack). The black neck swan had a mate, also a black necked, for several years before she was hit by a car in early 2020. They were the only pair so now the lone male has taken a mute swan as a mate so it will be interesting to see how those babies turn out.
Across the street from the lake, in front of the library in Lakeland, there were still 2 swans sitting on nests. At least they had a good shady spot away from the crowds and a nice view of the lake.
