One of the great treats of sitting by a lake in the early spring is to watch the water birds’ courtship dances. This morning I have watched a couple of great crested grebes and then a pair of swans. In both species the dances are elaborate and the neck is the primary means of expression and, yes, sometimes they inadvertently form a heart shape, as in the illustration. These species share something else in common. They both carry their young around on their backs between their wings, and I only regret that I won’t be by the lake to see this next beautiful step as spring advances.
Leave a Reply