Picture Of The Week 02-16-09

Where: Chincoteague, VA • Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Notes: I spent almost a week last winter trying to photograph this particular species and with only moderate results at best. This day, I became hopeful when I first noticed the location of this bird ahead along the inner wildlife drive at Chincoteague. The Swan was feeding in a narrow lake fingerling that closely paralleled the road. Nearby was also a Juvenile Tundra Swan and a couple of Canada Geese. The swan's position was likely to provide an opportunity for a good shot or two, if it remained undisturbed by our vehicle's presence. We followed our new friends in their car and stopped adjacent to the birds. The late afternoon light was soft and warm. I knew the birds would either have to fly past us, swim out of the corner, or hopefully, they would stay where they were. We stopped our cars and slowly got out. Alerted to our presence, the swan raised its head up at first. Then quickly returned to feeding in the surprisingly shallow waters. This behavior is a sign that our presence is tolerable. I moved low to the edge of the water, inching forward only when the swan stuck its head underwater. The bird remained reasonably undisturbed. I clicked off a few shots and then retreated back to the road.