Baton Rouge Zoo, here I come

I’d been waiting for this moment for months.  It was when I would find out how Will O. Swan was faring in his new home.  I’d brought him down in January when he was still a juvenile, mostly grey in color.  He was small then, about a third the size of the female at the zoo.  I’d had all the thoughts a mother does when worrying about her youngster who’s gone off on his own for the first time.  Oh, good grief.  Get a grip.

I loaded up Friday morning (August 8) and got to the zoo just like I knew where I was going.  A mother’s instinct to find her young one.  Ha!!!

At the zoo I asked about parking up front since I was loaded and the young lady at the front gate was quite accommodating.  I changed my boots for sandals, rolled up my pants to Capri-length, paid my senior ticket way in, and I was on the search for the swan.

According to the map, the lake was straight ahead and off to the right.  Well, in order to get there, I needed to go through some other areas, like the Realm of the Tiger.  Maybe this was a good thing since my suspense was building, my excitement level was high, and I was dripping wet from the humidity.

The Realm of the Tiger, not the eye, although they certainly eye you when you are near them.  That's probably why they're behind glass.  Safer for everyone.  I did not want to become lunch for anyone, and especially not before seeing Will O.

The tigers are behind glass, but you still get the idea they are big, strong and looking at you as lunch or at the very least, a mid-morning snack.  There is also a mom with cubs who was on camera as she’ll be with them in her den for eight weeks prior to them having a coming-out party.  Sorry I won’t be here to see it.

Well, helloooooo there, honey.  What's for lunch?

So you won't be joining me?  Fine!!!  Tigers are just plain gorgeous.

The zoo is lush with plant life, totally different from when I visited before.  Then it was mostly dead and brown, winter months.

Next I walked through the bird area.  That same beautiful blue bird was there.  I was fascinated with it because it’s one of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen.

These guys are just cute ... love little water birds.

But this bird is one of the most beautiful.  I love his head dress ... and his color is magnificent.

What's  zoo without croc?

Then I reached the lake.  There were the white birds … only pelicans.  Who cares.  I didn’t.  I walked on, hoping Will O. and Roberta would be where I could see them.  I could see another white bird through the foliage.  Nope.  Where, oh where are you, Will??? 

And there were a few others who needed their moment in the limelight.

And then, right where I’d last seen Roberta in January, there were the two Trumpeter swans.  Tears of joy flowed down my cheeks and I swiped them away with the back of my hand.  He was alive, he was well, he was healthy, he was thriving. 

Beautiful birds, beautiful setting.

Well, now what.  Two equal-size swans.  Now there was a predicament.  Two swans the same size, both white in color.  Which one was he?  How could I not know my own swan?

I used my long lens to look … the one standing or the one laying on the ground with its leg stretched out behind it?  Hmmmmmm.  Each appeared to have some grey.  I studied them.  It seemed that the one lying down could be Will.  But it was all so confusing.

Will used to stretch his leg out behind him.

The swan up and moving went over to the water, wandered around, came to the food station, nipped at the little deer to get it out of the way.  This one seemed to have some grey on it.  Will, oh Will.  Is that you?

This poor little guy got nipped by the swan and moved away from the food station.

I stood there, photographing.  I was waiting for the other swan to get up and move around.  I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  I took my phone and played swan videos from when Will lived in Alaska and I took so many photos and videos of him honking or eating or slurping his food.  I have many.  So I thought maybe he’d hear and understand.

One of the swans doesn't look very happy.  Guess which one.

And I waited some more.  Then the laying swan moved, and stood up.  And stretched his leg out behind him.  And waddled around and headed slowly over to the food station.  And then … it happened.  The bird stretched his wings.  AND … he was missing the vital piece that told me this was Will O. 

When I looked you could just see the little nub at the end of the wing.

This was my handsome boy swan who was now nearly white, who had feathers on the wing that had been amputated.  And he still had that wild feather that stuck out from his body at a 90-degree angle.  This was my baby boy swan.  Oh good grief.  Get a grip.  But I couldn’t.  It was so exciting to see him, to know he was in a place that was beyond my wildest dream for him in a placement.  Because this zoo is the top-of-the-line for a bird like him.  Oh … this was wonderful.

Then he showed off ... what a beautiful bird he has grown up to be.

I watched him, leisurely moving around.  I began to think he was teasing me … showing off, showing how beautiful he was, showing his white, pristine color, that he was “the man” by moving some of the others out of the way hissing and snipping at them.  It was so funny I had to laugh out loud.  Who knew he’d grow up to be a little bit of a bully.  Guess he’s just a typical swan.  How I loved it.

Will O. is just being a swan.  Yahoo.

As I watched he started moving closer to the fence where I was standing.  He’d look, waddle a bit closer, stop.  Look some more.  Did he recognize me?  I don’t know.  But eventually he came to the fence where I was and walked up and down, back and forth in front of me as much as to say, see.  I’m well, I’m happy, I’m the big swan in the pond.  He was strutting his stuff, this Will O. 

This silly swan was waddling, walking toward me.  What was going on?

Will O. just stood there and stared at me.
 

He came right over to the fence and first looked at me, then put his beak through.

Then he was just a silly bird.

He stopped in front of me and stuck his beak through the fence.  I, however, did not put my hand or fingers there.  But it sure made me wonder if he knew me.  It appeared he did.  (Even if he did not, I’m sticking with the story that he did.)  Oh, how I was loving this.  And then … over came Roberta.  They both stood in front of me  Was he showing off his lady to me?  I believe he was.

Will and Roberta were swimming in the lake; I stopped to visit, some photos to take; someday maybe, some cygnets they'll make; and I'll visit again ... cuz I brake for swans!!!  HAHA!!!

A golf cart came by.  It was Sam and one of the zoo folks.  Sam is who I turned Will O. over to.  He’s the head bird dude.  He remembered me.  We chatted  a few minutes and he said Will O. does not like kids and tries to nip them.  Occasionally he gets one.  I told Sam I’d taught him well then as I do not like kids either.  We laughed about it. 

You can still see a bit of grey on Will's head.  Next year it should be gone. 

Sam also told me that while Will is not mature enough yet, Roberta is practicing nesting tactics, so perhaps next year there will be some young ones?

Sam took some photos for me with Will O. and Roberta and I knew I needed to get on my way.  I’d been by the swan area for at least an hour-and-a-half.  I needed to do some paperwork.  Sam took me in the golf cart to the Administration Building where I completed the paperwork to adopt Will.  It was the final step in this process for me … unless there are young ones that I need to come visit. 

Yep.  It's done.

I cannot stress enough how this happy ending is some of what motivates me to volunteer at the Bird Treatment & Learning Center in Anchorage.  Sappy?  Sure.  But it makes me happy.  Sometimes you go above and beyond, and I believe I did in this case.  Worth it?  More than.  It makes up for those that don’t make it, or that cannot be placed easily.  Will was not easy, but it happened, and this is a true success story with an ending beyond happy.  Yay!!

Then it was time for me to get on the road, heading to Texas and Slider.  Of course, do you think I could find my way out of the zoo?  Of course not.  I’d set my map down somewhere and lost it.

But I found the tortoises.

And, in passing, I found the rhino again.  He’d not been out and about when I’d gone by the first time.  So another photo op.

Nothing like chewing with your mouth open.  Ha!

And I found these curious creatures.

Then I found the flamingoes.  These birds are favorites of mine, too, so I needed a few photos of them. 

There were a lot of flamingoes, and it was difficult to know which ones to photograph.

The incredible colors make them a spectacular bird

While the colors are not as vivid here, it shows the beautiful beak these birds have.

Couldn't help posting one more.

Out of the exit, back to the bike, sandals exchanged for biker boots and I was on my way.  The Baton Rouge Zoo was in my rear view mirror.

I’d decided to run a few back roads, but ended up not liking the road I was on.  It was not well-maintained and I just wanted to make some time.  So I hopped on Interstate 49 and rode hard.  At speed plus to make some time.

Interstate 20 was in my sights and I was running the line.  Traffic wasn’t bad but the sun was starting to get to the point that it was across my line-of-sight.  And in contacts with Slider, she told me there’d been a lot of accidents on the highway.  That’s when it was time to call it a day.  And I did.  I’d have coffee with Slider in the morning.