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Swans
The very elegant swan makes for a fantastic subject for photography. Swans are ever-
In the UK, the most loved swan is the mute swan, a stunningly beautiful bird with white feathers and orange beak. I was going to title this page of the website as ‘Mute Swans’ because up until 2025, it was the only swan I had photographed. However, in September 2025, I visited Martin Mere nature reserve in Lancashire, where they have black swans, so I was able to add another swan species to this page. The black swan really is quite something to see, with their striking black plumage; if we didn’t have the mute swan in the UK, then the black swan would essentially look quite ordinary; but with the mute swan existing, and being the swan most people are aware of, the sight of a black swan is something that really stands out!
To go direct to the photos of the black swans, click here, otherwise just scroll down as per the usual format of the album.
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I don’t think there is much doubt that the swan is one of the most beautiful birds.
3. 13 September 2003, Leica R6.2, Apo-
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So much scope for images of this very photogenic bird; here, the water gives a rather nice reflection.
6. 13 September 2003, Leica R6.2, Apo-
7. 13 September 2003, Leica R6.2, Apo-
8. 13 September 2003, Leica R6.2, Apo-
9. 21 September 2024, Leica SL(601), Apo-
10. 4 September 2005, Leica R6.2, Apo-
11. 13 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Vario-
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Don’t really need a guard dog; just employ one of these!
14. 14 September 2003, Leica R6.2, Apo-
15. 10 June 2013, Leica R6.2, Elmarit-
Without the swan, this would have been a fairly mundane landscape photograph.
16. 23 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Apo-
17. 23 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Apo-
Just got to scratch that itch…
18. 1 May 2005, Leica R6.2, Apo-
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20. 13 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Apo-
21. 23 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Apo-
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23. 5 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Vario-
The black swan, native to Australia. Their feathers are almost completely black, except for the tips of the wings, which are white, which you can see here.
25. 5 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Vario-
26. 5 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Vario-
2. 22 February 2026, Leica SL(601), Vario-
A pair of mute swans on Joe’s Pond in Rainton Meadows nature reserve in Durham. These birds will mate for life, only going with another mate if their current mate dies.
24. 5 September 2025, Leica SL(601), Vario-
Another distinctive feature that stands out against the mute swan is the red, rather than an orange, beak.
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Still hanging around mum and dad; not sure how long the parents will tolerate this!
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A family group about to set off for a swim.
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Scoring very high in the cuteness index.
27. 8 March 2026, Leica SL(601), Vario-
Back to the more regular mute swan, here a group of three presumably from the same family, almost fully grown; probably another few months before they assume the white feathers and distinctive orange beak of a fully grown mute swan. This group was in the lake in Stewart Park in Marton, Middlesbrough, which could be considered a typical public park. It is quite common for such a public park, if it has a lake, to attract resident swans. If I was taking more traditional photographs of birds, I would have obviously ensured the park bench was not in the frame, but I think it works here to show how what is a wild bird has evolved to become quite used to human activity.
28. 8 March 2026, Leica SL(601), Vario-
29. 8 March 2026, Leica SL(601), Vario-
Lots of activity going on here, as the boss serenely swims past.
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