The ancient Greeks believed that the souls of poets pass into swans. Seeing the pair that we saw this morning (4 degrees and overcast), I tend to agree.

Here they are before they took wing:

Species list: red-necked grebe, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, American black duck, gadwall, American wigeon, bufflehead, common goldeneye, long-tailed duck,  red-breasted merganser, herring gull, ring-billed gull, blue jay, European starling, house sparrow, northern cardinal, American goldfinch.  (18 species)

Some botany:

Park scenes:

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

Sweet Swan of Avon! What a sight it were
To see thee in our waters yet appear,
And make those flights upon the bankes of Thames
That so did take Eliza and our James! – Ben Jonson memorial to Shakespeare in 1623

(Eliza and James refer to Queen Elizabeth and King James)

Miles Hearn