It’s been over a year since I started taking an interest in the swans around Telford. Anyone who follows my Instagram feed will know my feed is overflowing with swan photos.
The original pair I followed are both gone now- one passed away and the other has flown to pastures new. I miss them.
I called the female swan Odette and the male one Siegfried. I first met them when I was in a very low place last spring. I found it hard to care very much about myself during that time. But I did care about those swans.
The first time I saw Odette I found her lying on her nest. I thought she might be dead because she was so still… but after watching for a few minutes, I saw her slowly lift her head.
So then I had to keep coming back to check on her. I got excited at the idea of seeing her children hatch. And suddenly I had a reason to keep moving forward again. I loved watching her and Siegfried fuss over their nest. I loved taking photos of them and getting to know their personalities.
But one day I went to visit and the eggs were gone. No babies to be seen, just a forlorn Odette stamping around the nest where they used to be and her partner, Siegfried, coming to watch over her. That was the first cruel twist of nature. I worried about what had happened and kept visiting.
Gradually they moved away from their nest to settle into their routine. They let me become a part of that. I fed them by hand regularly. I felt like they trusted and remembered me. I started photographing them more and more.
They were a loving couple. Often Siegfried would come over to where I was and clear the way for Odette to come swimming across the pool to join us. A few times I watched as they touched their chests and beaks together with care and affection.
I caught one of those moments with my camera. That photo even ended up in a calendar. I love that I got to preserve that moment and share their story. I also hope other people can enjoy the photo. Maybe somebody else will look at it and find a reason to smile, if only for a second.
Unfortunately Odette grew ill, and Siegfried was left alone. I watched their love story reach it’s final chapter and it broke my heart. I still checked on Siegfried for a long time after that. But recently, after a few practice flights, he disappeared from the pool. I like to imagine he’s gone on an adventure to find a flock of swans somewhere so he doesn’t have to be alone anymore.
I’ve found more swans to follow since then. Watching the ups and downs of their lives in the volatile hands of nature has been a welcome distraction from my own fluctuating headspace. I’ve been up and down emotionally a few times this past year. Sometimes it can be frightening when you look back at the cruel things your own mind can dream up.
But I always feel better after going for a walk to visit my swan pals. I also love going back through my photos of them- editing them and sharing them.
So here’s to many more years to come of swan photography.
Love, Lauren