This beautiful young mute swan was taking a bath at Lake Morton in late November.
The white ducks are cute but aggressive, looking for a handout.
Ibis flyby.
One of the black necked swans at the lake.
A wood duck and a ring billed duck couple.
The cypress trees were turning orange.
A female wood duck up above and her 4 juvenile babies hanging out on a rock.
It’s always fun to see the baby swans.
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.
Two butterflies together on the street. Where they mating? I’ve never seen this before.
Flowers were blooming in early March.
One great blue heron wagging his tongue. The other had his pretty breeding colors on his face. You can see the color difference in the one above that’s not ready for a girlfriend yet.
After a bath.
There’s several fully grown gray swans. Might be a hybrid of the white mute swan and the black swan? They are really pretty.
Baby swan up close. The original “ugly duckling”.
Looking at the feet of a wood stork. It looks like his toenails are painted.
A quick walk around Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland before lunch. I only found one baby swan and not many swans nesting. Maybe they are nesting late this year.
This is one of my favorite ducks at Lake Morton. Looks like some type of hybrid mallard. Beautiful colors and very different from the brown mallards. He swam right up to me and started taking a bath.
As I was shooting the duck above, this swan walked in front of me and started pulling weeds to add to his nest. He was so close I could only get his neck in the shot.
Some of the funny fowl at Horsepower for Kids.
