Yes, it was some sort of stretching move, just happened to take the picture at the right moment. Very pleased; just wish that the swan with cygnets had looked toward me, but it was nearer the other bank and apparently looking for predators etc. on that side.
Hence the punchline of Andersen's fairy tale. I love the word "cygnets". We don't have an equivalent in German, we just say "little swan". Also, beautiful photos! Here are some from Leeds a few years ago to keep them company:
The word swan is derived from Old English swan, akin to the German Schwan and Dutch zwaan and Swedish svan, in turn derived from Indo-European root *swen (to sound, to sing).[1] Young swans are known as swanlings or as cygnets, from Greek κύκνος, kýknos and from the Latin word cygnus ("swan") and the Old French suffix -et ("little"). An adult male is a cob, from Middle English cobbe (leader of a group); an adult female is a pen.
Why Britain retains this distinction and you don't is something I can't answer - I'm really not a linguist.
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(No swans in this part of the world.)
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The word swan is derived from Old English swan, akin to the German Schwan and Dutch zwaan and Swedish svan, in turn derived from Indo-European root *swen (to sound, to sing).[1] Young swans are known as swanlings or as cygnets, from Greek κύκνος, kýknos and from the Latin word cygnus ("swan") and the Old French suffix -et ("little"). An adult male is a cob, from Middle English cobbe (leader of a group); an adult female is a pen.
Why Britain retains this distinction and you don't is something I can't answer - I'm really not a linguist.
Thanks for the picture!