Mute swan preen - ruffling white feathers on Windsor's Thames

Mute swan preen - ruffling white feathers on Windsor's River Thames
Filmed in Berkshire, England
Video by Morten_Art
March 11 2016
Transtrom says:
One widely-held belief was that the mute swan was a silent bird but that it sang sweetly just before it died, and so the word 'swansong' came to mean a final performance before retirement or death.
The Swan, which is called "Eala" in Scots Gaelic, "Eala" in Irish, "Alarch" in Welsh, "Alarc’h" in Breton, "Olla" in Manx and "Alargh" Cornish, is known for its majestic grace and gliding mystical beauty. Little wonder then that these birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus are associated with the gods and goddesses of the pre-Christian Celtic peoples. They are seen as having links to the Otherworld (Aos Si) community whose world was reached through mists, hills, lakes, ponds, wetland areas, caves, ancient burial sites, cairns and mounds. Within these realms dwelt the Celtic gods with all of their supernatural abilities. Association with these deities gave the swan an exalted status, linked to the Celtic festivals such as those of Beltane and Samhain.
This fine bird in particular sure knows how special and spectacular he is! Swan Lake or The Ugly Duckling would be proud to have him.