The photo was taken on July 31st. It clearly shows the transformation in the size of the cygnets, as they were almost two-thirds the size of their parents. When the photo was taken, the cygnets were relaxing on the lake under their mother’s care.
In February, I encountered the swan couple again. It was clear that during this time they had started their new round of breeding and were living a life of two. When I took the photo on the left, I thought of the photos I had seen not long ago of the swans foraging underwater. It was really a stunning scene, like an elegant underwater ballet. But I could only capture the scene of the swan poking its head out of the water to forage, and the cognitive reality of the photo brought me a deep understanding of this behavior. It truly embodies the saying, “reading a thousand books is not as good as traveling a thousand miles.”
Today, I went out to see the swan family, but I was not at home. There was only an unhatched egg in the nest. It is estimated that the cygnets have broken their shells this year, and the people watching beside them are gone. Looking forward to meeting them for the first time, they can be said to be the treasures given to me by this river and a rare profound experience of life.
