A few weeks later.

So cute in brown and beige!

Ten days in a bathtub: When Tweety was brought to his vet to be pinioned (see Swan Facts), it was discovered that he had an upper-respiratory infection that would require him to take antibiotics for 10 days. Normally, cygnets are returned to the Lagoon the day after they are pinioned, but in Tweety’s case, he needed the extra 10 days to be cured. Ziggy, the Technician in charge of wildlife at the Lagoon, took him home and kept him in her bathtub all this time.

On his own since: When Ziggy returned him to the Lagoon, almost two weeks after he had left (10 days at Ziggy’s plus his time at the bird hospital), his mother no longer bonded with him and he found himself on his own at a very young age. He tried going from swan to swan to find a new family but in the end remained by himself; however, Tweety is a strong bird (in spite of the respiratory setback) and has done very well on his own.

Definitely starting to look like a swan.

A future Precious? On Sept. 30 (2005), Tweety was seen on the shore of the Lagoon, very annoyed with a pigeon that was picking at something on the ground by him. Tweety promptly picked the pigeon up in his bill, shook it back and forth like a rag until its feathers came out and it flew away (minus a bunch of feathers!). He takes after his father, the late Marlow, and after his grand father, Precious, and we guess he's going to be another "big boss" when his turn comes.

Tweety on the East side of the Lagoon, Oct 7, 2005

Tweety on Nov 5, 2005 - More and more white feathers

Although his cygnet feathers are beige and brown in this picture, by Christmas time he will be “half-and-half” and by Spring 2006 his feathers will have turned completely white.

Tweety (above and below) on Nov 5, 2005

Tweety on Dec 17, 2005 - See the ice on the Lagoon (upper right corner of the picture where a seagull is standing on the ice)

Here is Tweety, upside down, doing is "duck thing" on Dec 17, 2005 (this is what happens when a swan grows up surrounded by ducks!).

Tweety - now called by his adult name Tristan - on January 1, 2006. See how his wings now have more white feathers than brown ones.

Isolde, a few days after her arrival at Lost Lagoon in April 2006

 

20-Question Quiz about Tristan

Photos courtesy of Fiona Sinclair