02 Warm Soup and the Swans

Soup and the Swans

Swans are not native to the Midwest, nor are they a visible member of the Summer habitat. Yet in the cold harsh winters of Minnesota, where the temperatures could easily drop to Twenty below and howling winds could further carry the wind chills to a mind boggling fifty below, there is a place along the Mississippi close to the Twin Cities where Trumpeter Swans land and over winter in the thousands. The thrill of witnessing one of Nature’s wondrous birds in such a large congregation is beyond description. Sheila Lawrence who is no more, started the legacy of feeding a few Swans that missed their flight in the fall to the warm southern skies. The numbers grew by a few hundreds each year and there are several thousands that decide to skip the long flight south and delight the locals and the visiting photographers throughout the winter. Monticello in the Winter is known as the Swan city. In the deepest of the season when the mercury drops below zero for several days, you bundle up and dare the treacherous wind chills and arrive at the swan park, struggle to unwind the camera gear and peer through the lens and suddenly the grace of the swans take over. Hours go by, the flights come in groups from far away forage to a feeder full of corn. The long wing flaps and the mesmerizing dance makes you wish the day would never end. Alas the Sun does set at 4PM, suddenly you are aware of the numbing fingers, you fold up the gear quickly and head to the city for some warmth and a cup of soup.