Trumpeter Swans Reunite At Milliken Park In Toronto

They’re back!  It seems that trumpeter swans, H11, and her cygnet were just taking a short vacation away from their home pond.  When Bob and I cycled to Milliken Park, in Toronto,  Friday morning, October 17, the whole family was cruising the pond together.

Although we did not manage to snap a photo while the three of the Trumpeter Swans were swimming in a group, you can just see the cob, M97, through the bulrushes to the top right of our photo.  The cob must be so relieved that his mate and cygnet returned to the pond.  We have no idea just when they made their reappearance.  Since the cob was just released on Wednesday, at least it was not a very long time, at best about one day.

I am sure I was just imagining things, but I thought the pen and cygnet both seemed much more relaxed than they have been over the past month in the cob’s absence.  Since a Trumpeter Swan pair mates for life, I believe that they develop an attachment for one another, and I believe that the female was missing her mate while he was away in the care of the Toronto Wildlife Centre.

Bob and I made three circuits around the park’s perimeter trail, and we chatted with a city employee, Dave, who happened to be at the Park’s pavilion.  During that whole time, M97, the cob, remained on shore resting, confident now in his mate’s presence and supervision of the cygnet.

On Saturday, again, Bob and I took the opportunity to spin around the Park in an effort to get some exercise, and when we first arrived at the observation deck, all three Trumpeter Swans were making their way towards the eastern end of the pond.

We hopped on our bikes and met up with them at the second point designed with a view of the pond in mind.  All three are doing well.

Later, we found M97 swimming towards the fenced-off point near which H11 and the cygnet already were hanging out.  Because of the recent rain, the bank was slick with wet mud, and the cygnet abandoned the idea of climbing out of the water until its father, M97, gave a little chase, which convinced the cygnet to promptly and handily surmount the muddy point.

Subsequent to that, the cob urged his mate, H11, off of the rock that she was standing on so that he could assume that preferred location to preen his feathers.

It was a happy day for everyone involved with and concerned about the Trumpeter Swans’ welfare when M97 got reintroduced to Milliken Pond.

Frame To Frame – Bob and Jean