A Swan On The Kennet Tapestry

A male (cob) mute swan (cygnus olor) on the River Kennet near Newbury, Berkshire in the late afternoon. The mute swan is the UK's largest and heaviest flying bird - as can be seen in their efforts to take off! The male or cob is larger than the female and has a more pronounced black knob at the top of its bill. This species is called the mute swan as it makes far less vocal noise in flight than other swan breeds such as the whooper or Bewick's - in fact you just hear the swoosh of the wings beating! Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200