Falling in Love with the Natural World
Trumpeter swans teach their cygnets to swim. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
I hadn’t planned on spending the day waiting for the swans’ first swim.
I was on my way to the forest, searching for wildflowers to photograph. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a swan on her nest in the middle of a lily pond, cuddling with one of her newborns.
Right on the edge of the highway.
I decided the wildflowers could wait a day. I have hundreds of swan images, but none of our rare Idaho nesting swans and their sweet newborn cygnets.
The scene took my breath away. Plump, yellow lilies opened to the sun. The blossoms were nestled in oversized glossy, green leaves giving an odd tropical feel to the clearing in lodgepole pines. An abundance of spring rain had filled the high mountain meadow with crystal clear water.
Nature does love her summers.
Mother and child Trumpeter swans. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
I was in Island Park, 40 miles south of Yellowstone National Park. About half of Idaho’s 20 pairs of nesting Trumpeters live in this area.
Most build their nests in the protection of nearby Harriman State Park. For three years, I had hiked without success to the tip of Silver Lake for a glimpse of a swan family. Then here they were when I wasn’t even looking for them.
There are days when wishes are fulfilled by the unexpected wonder of nature.
Family life on the lily pond
The male swan coaxes his cygnets into the water. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
It was worth the wait to see the Cob lead his cygnets into the water for the first time amidst the hundreds of yellow lilies. He was a patient dad, coaxing them off the mound, one by one.
The Pen watched her babies from the top of the earthen nest she had built with her mate. A few of the cygnets slipped quickly into the pond. Others turned back time and again to their mama.
I wondered if the Pen felt as anxious as I had when my own children first entered the deep end of the pool.
Let me back up and say, when the cygnets first entered the water, I had no way of knowing this was their first swim. But it didn’t take long to realize they were not dipping their tiny pink beaks in the pond.
On the second day of swim lessons, cygnets skim bugs off the water's surface, practicing their underwater skills. In another week, their necks would be strong enough to go bottom-up and dip into the nutrient-rich plant life.
Until then, the quantity of yolk that cygnets absorb while still in the egg sustains them.
Nature is all about the details.
The beauty of devotion
Mother and cygnets navigate the lily pond. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
Swans are known for their devotion to family, and they were a joy to watch. The swan pair led the downy babies through the lily pads with patience and care. While one parent fed, the other watched for predators.
I counted six cygnets. All but one swam with their mother. The first one out of the nest clung to dad the entire afternoon. As in all families, it seemed swan newborns come into the world with their own way of navigating life’s waters.
The swan parents took it in stride. Their purpose is simply to be swans.
Swan pair feeding and guarding their cygnets. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
The swan family made a large, slow loop around the lily pond before returning to the nest. I could sense the wide-eyed wonder of the cygnets as they cruised along beside dipping ducks. They had come into this world to a scene overflowing with beauty and stocked with everything they needed to thrive.
I believe the beauty of nature asks us to slow down and be inspired by the mystery of life.
Proud Papa takes a Bow
Swan male rises with pride in his family. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
As the Pen led the cygnets back onto her nest, the Cob rose and spread his wings.
Biologists call this defensive move “busking.”
But there was no predator around. The Cob had safely guided his family through an important rite of passage.
I think he was proud.
The feeling of falling in love
As his family rests, the male stands guard. Island Park, Idaho. By Kris Cochran
Every time I venture into the wild places, nature surprises and delights me.
It’s a little bit like falling in love.
Tasks are forgotten. Troubles are suspended. Time expands to the sense of forever.
From naturalists to plein air painters, those who spend time in nature have always felt the joy of walking into the mystery of a pristine world. Now, science is catching up.
New fields in psychology and neuroscience are measuring increases in creative thinking and overall well-being in people who spend time outdoors in unspoiled places. Some believe the health benefits are built into our evolution.
We’re designed to feel the sun on our faces and wish upon a falling star.
May you find scenes beckoning you to fall in love with your one precious life.
Thanks for walking with me,
Kris
Read more about the benefits of spending time in nature:
“Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health”
