The Self-Appointed Sheriff of Tern Lake

I live quite near Tern Lake and spend many hours there during the summer, watching the varied bird life and kayaking in its little coves and around its many islands.

SATURDAY EVENING:

This time of year, I watch a pair of trumpeter swans who moved onto Tern Lake and made it their home. I am expecting their eggs to hatch at any time, and pay close attention to them when I'm on my way to and from picking up litter farther up the Seward highway.

On this day, I was on my way home from cleaning up litter and was horrified to see three kayaks very near the swan's nest.

They ignored my yelling at them to move away from the swan. I started taking photos, not to shame them, but to report them in case something awful happened with the swans. With the nest abandoned, every bald eagle and gull on the lake could have cygnets for dinner.

I stopped and yelled at them to move away from the swan. No reaction, but the swan was already frightened and swimming away from the kayaks, dipping her head and honking all the time--a sign of high stress.

I kept yelling. Two kayaks went right behind the nest and the third passed in front of it, then stopped. And took selfies!!!

The poor swan is trying to get back to her nest and this girl is sitting there taking selfies! I didn't cuss at her, but I might have said a few choice words sotto voce.

She is very nervous, moving about the nest, checking everything to make sure it's safe to go back to it.   The nest is the brown pile to the left behind her.

When I was sure the women weren't going to return to the nest, and when the swan was--nervously--back on the nest--I drove around the lake to explain to the women why I was yelling at them.

I introduced myself, explained that I have become very protective of the swans.

"We weren't that close," said one.

"The swan thought you were. She abandoned the nest at a time when her eggs might have hatched and there are cygnets in the nest. I am surprised that every gull on the lake wasn't over there taking the eggs or cygnets."

I asked her to please explain to her friends why I yelled and to please stay far away from swans when you see them.

SUNDAY:

I drove to the lake to check on the swans and was delighted to see tiny cygnets.

Note the tiny fuzzy head under her belly.   Plus, there appears to be another right under her head.

Oh, right.   NOW the cob acts like he's defending them.    When the kayakers were near, he was hiding in some bushes.

MONDAY:

Dad takes one of th ecygnets for a paddle and introduces it to their neighbors, the scaup. This is even more evidence that at least one cygnet had hatched Saturday.

Lest you think I over-reacted, take a look at the two photos below. The first one is a repeat of a photo above. I show it because I wasn't you to note the two clumps of grass near the kayak.

In this photo, the swan is on her nest. Note the proximity ofd the two clumps of grass.

TUESDAY:

All the swans are away front the nest. They usually hide them in the far reaches of the lake for a spell before making their grand debut.

I hope I can keep the kayakers away from them until they are old enough to be safe.