So much for the long, graceful neck

You know how people are always saying that swans are lovely because they have such long, graceful necks? Well, I'm sure that's true, although it wasn't true of this particular swan we met while strolling the banks of the Avon River in Stratford.

On first blush, what could be more romantic than a swan on the banks of the Avon River in Stratford, Ontario? Well, first of all, it wasn't necessarily a romantic occasion because my husband and I were with Meelyn and Aisling, who trailed along behind us, honking like grumpy geese: "I'm cold!" and "I'm tired!" and "When's dinner?" and "Haven't you taken enough pictures YET?" washing over us in a querulous tide. When my husband and I saw the swan, which was very tame, we stopped to watch it for a moment.

Although I found this swan's leathery black feet -- huge feet -- very off-putting, it was still a very beautiful bird. It observed us impassively for a couple of moments, and when it had apparently determined that we didn't have a little bag of corn concealed about us, it proceeded to give us the cold shoulder in more ways than one. The swan was intent on grooming her (his?) feathers, especially the feathers on its own rear end. Because one of the benefits of having that long, graceful neck? As it turns out, you can use it to angle your beak back and bite your tail feathers A LOT. In a disrespectful sort of way.

Here I managed to get a picture of him just as he was going back for one more dig. All the others I took feature that long neck at an awkward angle, as the swan nips pleasurably at his own butt. Ah, Nature....is it any wonder I'm not all that fond of you?